Some unwanted critters are apt to sneak into your suitcase, while others burrow under your skin. Wherever you’re travelling, it’s important to be aware of creepy crawlers of every shape and size. From eggs between your toes to bites that cause necrotic tissue damage, tiny threats exist around the world — and they can pack a pretty big punch.

So for one of our spookiest episodes ever, the Travel Unravelled crew of ISTM podcast director Dr. Aisha Katib, ISTM president Dr. Anne McCarthy, and travel medicine clinician Dr. Albie de Frey brought in bug experts Dr. Darvin (Scott) Smith and Dr. Steve Schofield to rank the six creepiest crawlers threatening travellers worldwide. 

You may have heard of new world screwworms, sand fleas, and land leeches, but do you really know where they lurk, what they do, and — most importantly — how you can avoid them? 

In this episode we’ll be discussing:

• What are the top six creepiest crawlers dangerous to travelers?
• What steps can you take to avoid each of them? 
• What are other crawlers that might not be quite as creepy, but are just as dangerous?

GUEST BIOS

Dr. Darvin (Scott) Smith taught at Stanford Medicine where he directed the popular course “Parasites and Pestulence” for more than twenty years, receiving the Bloomfield Award for excellence in clinical teaching. He remains active in global health and travel medicine, including serving as Co-Chair of the ISTM Professional Education Committee. 

Dr. Steve Schofield is a medical entomologist who has worked as a scientific advisor with the Canadian military for more than 20 years, focused on communicable disease control and prevention. He advises on how to protect deploying troops including through use of vaccines and countermeasures to prevent insect bites. He has a PhD from Imperial College.

LINKS

Illustrating how dangerous the insects’ bites can be, this Alzheimer’s patient is said to have died from 1,000 fire ant bites. 

This English woman spied a scorpion wandering across her living room after the insect hitched a ride in her luggage on a return trip from Africa. 

As a prophylactic against many types of insect bites, including some of the ones featured in this episode, Dr. Steve Schofield suggests wearing clothing that has been treated with permethrin. 

A strange medical case about a leech found in a surprising place. 

More information about new world screwworm can be found in this Reuters story. 

The effects of a brown recluse spider bite: One man’s tale. 

Darvin Scott Smith recently co-authored a chapter on “Travel Health Kits” in the CDC Yellow Book: Health Information for International Travel, with Howard D. Backer.

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The ISTM’s Travel Unravelled podcast is produced by Ghost Bureau, the Toronto content agency.

DISCUSSION POINTS

00:00 Introduction

02:47 Chigoe Flea

06:58 Imported Fire Ants

12:16 Scorpions

18:35 Leeches

26:31 Botflies and New World Screwworms

37:00 Brown Recluse Spiders 

40:53 Recommendations for Travelers

41:59 Closing Remarks