Worthy Parasites: A Villain's Silver Lining

People hate parasites. They're slimy and repulsive - worms emerging from blisters on the body, mites breeding in skin folds. They hold wild parties in our guts. They bring pestilence, misery...even death. But wait: parasites can also be good - really, really good! Author Rosemary Drisdelle explores these much maligned creatures and their importance in nature, and she unveils exciting new medical research into the good they can do for us.

Rosemary Drisdelle is a Clinical specialist in Parasitology, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and author of: Parasites: Tales of Humanity's Most Unwelcome Guests, published by California Press, 2010.


Participants in the program:

John Farley: Retired Professor of Biology at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Author of five books on science history.

Paul Greenwood: Multiple Sclerosis patient. Client of Autoimmune Therapies. Sheffield, England.

Jasper Lawrence: Founder of Autoimmune Therapies. England.

Susan Perkins: Associate Curator and Professor at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Graham Rook: Professor of Medical Microbiology at University College in London, England. Author of The Hygiene Hypothesis and Darwinian Medicine.

Brian Ward: Infectious Disease Specialist at the Montreal General Hospital and co-head of the Canadian National Reference Lab for Parasitology.

Cheryl Whitehorn: Teacher and Entomology Technician at The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.