PhD offers his body to parasites (From Witney Gazette)

PhD offers his body to parasites

9:00am Wednesday 25th October 2006 in Witney By Phil Vinter

BE warned if Dr Mike Leahy invites you for a beer, because several hours later, you might find you have a hideous parasite growing inside you.

The 'mad' scientist - as his brother fondly describes him - talked punters at the Shaven Crown pub, in Shipton-under-Wychwood, into taking part in a bizarre series of experiments, which involved introducing parasites into their bodies.

But at least Dr Leahy, who has a PhD from Oxford University in virology, practised what he preached by allowing ten different parasites to feed off him at once.

The experiments were carried out at different locations around the county, including Bladon, North Leigh, and Didcot, for a new television series called Invasion of the Bodyscratchers, part one of which was screened on Sky One on Saturday.

During the three-part series Dr Leahy, 40, from Shipton-under-Wychwood, shared his body with headlice, leeches, bed bugs, dust mites, ticks, malarial-carrying mosquitos, a two-metre long tape worm, and a Bot Fly. His brother, Aidy, 29, was persuaded to have a live Tunbu Fly inserted into his buttock, and his drinking partner, Duncan Lonsdale, agreed to take part in an experiment to see whether tape worms, which live in the gut, thrive better on healthy, or less healthy, food.

Two other punters in the pub were persuaded into becoming infested with ticks, and several more agreed to help with an experiment involving bed bugs.

"I have always been interested in infectious diseases and parasites, and the best way to see them is on a host. I have done experiments like this before, but thought it would be fun to get some other people involved as well."

Dr Mike Leahy

Mr Leahy said: "I have always been interested in infectious diseases and parasites, and the best way to see them is on a host. I have done experiments like this before, but thought it would be fun to get some other people involved as well.

"I just told them I would make them film stars, and they decided to give it a go! The wife wasn't too happy at times though, she kicked me out on one occasion, and I had to live in a shed at an airbase."

During the filming, Dr Leahy also went to see a patient whose foot had become infected, with hundreds of maggots placed on the wound to suck out the infection.

He also went to the Amazon rainforest, and saw a man whose penis had become infected with Candiru Fly - a particularly horrible parasite, that swims up the penis and attaches itself with sharp barbs.

Aidy added: "I think he is absolutely mad. I would not go through with the half the things he's put inside his body.

"I just did it out of interest really. I was apprehensive beforehand, especially when they wanted to put the Bot Fly on my genitals - there was no way I was going to do that - but they assured me it was not one of the nastier parasites. So I agreed to it."