Ep 10. Shape Shifters

Monsters Inside Me is a documentary-style TV show that follows the real-life cases of people who have been infected by rare and deadly parasites. Season 2 episode 10 is titled Shape Shifters, and it is a disturbing yet fascinating exploration of the parasites that can change their hosts' behavior and manipulate them into doing their bidding.

The episode starts with the story of a woman who suddenly becomes very ill, experiencing intense abdominal pain, fever, and loss of appetite. Her doctors are baffled when her test results come back negative for any known infection, and it takes weeks of testing before they discover the source of her symptoms: a tiny parasitic worm that has burrowed into her intestine and is causing severe inflammation. But even after the worm is removed, the woman continues to feel strange impulses and an intense craving for sugar. It turns out that the worm has altered her metabolism and is influencing her behavior in order to feed off the sugar in her blood.

Next, the show delves into the case of a hunter who begins to experience strange mood swings and hallucinations after returning from a hunting trip. He also starts to feel extreme pain and swelling in his leg, and eventually seeks medical attention. It's determined that a tick that had bitten him during his trip was carrying a rare parasite called Babesia, which can cause a range of neurological symptoms, including personality changes and hallucinations. The hunter is shocked to discover that the man he had invited on the hunting trip with him had also contracted the same disease and had been experiencing similar symptoms.

The third case in this episode involves a man who is bitten by a mosquito while on vacation in Mexico. When he returns home, he begins to feel weak and feverish, and his skin starts to break out in a rash. His doctors are initially unsure of what's causing his symptoms, until they discover that he has been infected with a parasitic protozoan called Leishmania. This parasite can enter the body through a mosquito bite and can cause a range of symptoms, including fever, chills, and skin lesions. In rare cases, it can even cause disfigurement of the face and other body parts.

Finally, the show explores the case of a woman who is bitten by a black widow spider while cleaning out her garage. She initially experiences severe pain and muscle spasms, but her condition worsens over time as the venom from the spider begins to attack her nervous system. She begins to experience strange impulses and behaviors that she can't explain, and her doctors suspect that the venom may be responsible for altering her brain chemistry and causing her to act out of character.

Overall, Shape Shifters is a gripping and unsettling look at the ways in which parasites can infiltrate and manipulate their hosts, causing a range of physical and psychological symptoms. The show provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of microscopic organisms and the havoc they can wreak on the human body. It's a must-watch for anyone interested in biology and the many mysteries of the natural world.