There isn’t much that grosses me out. Should be fairly obvious given that I’ve been writing about parasites and all the deep, dark, moist caverns of the body they find themselves in. But if there’s one thing that does make me cringe or cower, it’s the idea of something - anything - invading my eyes.
I guess it has to do with the soft, moist, squishy tissue of our eye. You never realize how vulnerable an eye is until you cut one open I guess… (Don’t worry, it was just a cow eye for biology lab, in case you’re wondering…)
Like every part of our bodies, even our eyes aren’t safe from parasites. And one of the most successful human parasites, our beloved Toxoplasma gondii, can make a nice cozy nest in our eyes if it so wishes. But eye infection via toxoplasmosis is fairly rare, and most often occurs in immunocompromised individuals and babies by which the parasite crosses the placenta [1]. The recurring symptom here for toxoplasmosis eye infection and other eye infections is going to be blindness. It is not always the case, and usually has to do with the speed of diagnosis and treatment from when infection occurs.
There have been incidences of people going blind from wearing contact lenses due to the Acanthamoeba parasite. One such instance involved a college student who wore her contact lenses for six months without taking them out or cleaning them [2]. The aquatic amoeba went on to devour her retina. This could be easily avoided by ensuring hygienic practices regarding contact lenses. People, clean your lenses. You may save your sight. If you need some extra incentive, check out this video on Acanthamoeba in action.
Traveling over to Africa and South America for a moment, you may have come across onchocerciasis, or river blindness. (Let’s play guess the result of an untreated illness.) The filarial worm disease is considered one of the neglected tropical diseases, and is contracted via blackflies [3]. The worm can be found in every tissue of the eye except for the lens (that hard marble-like thing in the middle of your squishy eye). So if you find yourself traveling to Africa or South America, make sure you have insect repellent. Definitely want to keep those blackflies away.
If you aren’t worried about blackflies and potential onchocerciasis, how about we look in your backyard. If you have a dog or cat, your very pet may be carrying a species of Toxocara which can swim up into your eye if it ends up inside you, although it usually prefers lungs and intestines. But no worries, if anything, it tends to infect children, so you should be fine [4]. As with the above parasites, again, if Toxocara ends up in your eye, blindness can result.
This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of eye parasites as even malaria or leishmaniasis can end up in your eye as well. Unfortunately, our eyes are very vulnerable to come under attack from parasites, and unlike some of the good that some helminths (parasitic worms) can provide with new autoimmune treatments, eye parasites are no good and all bad. There is no surefire way to prevent any of the above parasites (unless you want to become the next bubble boy), and prevention is the way to go. If you’re in an area where any parasites are endemic, wear insect repellent and practice good hygiene.
You may find it tedious, but you never know, you may be saving your sight.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Food-Borne Parasites: Parasites are Friends, Not Food
I was enjoying a late afternoon lunch with my sister at a cheap ‘hole in the wall’ Japanese restaurant today. We sat at the small sushi bar, chatting away as we ordered and waited for the arrival of our food... Sorry, nothing really exciting happened. We didn’t have a moving lung fluke or tapeworm in our food. Neither did we immediately get sick, vomiting in a tiny bathroom or acquiring the spewing from the opposite end.
But then again… I only eat cooked things due to being slightly immunocompromised, and it’s a rare treat for my sister. (She only partakes in sashimi, raw fish, at “trusted” restaurants.)
Nonetheless, as I sat pointing out the different raw fish in the display case atop the bar, the idea of obtaining an extra passenger on the way out of the restaurant never fails to escape my mind. I guess I spend too much time reading about parasites to allow a prime pick-up spot get away mentally.
Then again, strangely enough, on the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) top ten list for food-borne parasites (you’ll recognize Toxoplasma gondii and Taenia solium if you’ve read my mental health post), only one is acquired from eating raw or undercooked fish, Opisthorchiidae, and it’s acquired from freshwater fish. Note that freshwater fish aren’t used as raw sashimi (you might see freshwater eel as a choice, but it IS cooked) due to the risk of parasites and other microorganisms [1]. For example, in Thailand, a popular dish involves raw, fermented fish that transmits this parasite which accumulates in the liver and causes bile duct cancer [2].
On the contrary, the typical culprits in infecting your sushi are Diphyllobothrium latum and Anisakidae, a tapeworm and roundworm respectively. If you’ve been following internet gossip or the news, one of the recent news stories describes a sushi-loving man discovering that his whole body was infected with Diphyllobothrium latum, which can be deadly if it reaches the brain [3]. (As in the case with most things.) Due to the translucent nature of raw fish, you can see any parasitic worms in your dinner by taking a close look (although your sushi chef should have done so already if he acquired the freshest fish and didn’t freeze it per FDA standards).
Other foods that pose a potential risk for parasites are undercooked or raw pork which can yield either an Trichinella spiralis (the worm responsible for trichinosis) or Taenia solium infection. Others are fresh produce since you don’t know about the quality of the water or whether any animals came into contact with said produce. This is why you always wash your fruits and vegetables, and certain produce that are hard to clean, such as broccoli or cauliflower, you should always cook.
One protozoan in particular, Cryptosporidium, I’d like to focus on for a moment. There was a particularly bad outbreak of Cryptosporidium in 1993 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Half the city contracted the parasite, and the main treatment is fluids to prevent dehydration during diarrheal episodes. (As always, it’s a main danger to immunocompromised patients as well as the very old and very young.) Known as the worst outbreak of the protozoan, the source of the disease was traced back to a contaminated water-treatment plant that serviced the southern portion of the city [4]. It just goes to show you, you always want to ensure the purity and cleanliness of your water.
To ensure you are never at the mercy of a food-borne parasite, always wash fruits, veggies, and even raw meats before cooking (you’ll wash off that layer of grime that also contains bacteria and viruses). Beware that even fermented or cured fishes and meats can still contain infectious parasites. Of course, just as abstinence isn’t the answer for “curing” the outbreak of sexually transmitted diseases, abstinence from your favorite foods (if unsafe) isn’t possible. If you like sashimi, ceviche, carpaccio, poke, or any other raw dish, don’t be afraid to ask the restaurant any questions about their sources and storage methods. (Be warned your home freezer isn’t enough to kill parasites so don’t try making sashimi at home unless you know how.) Also, you learn to know which restaurants are “trustworthy” and which may not be so much.
Remember, just as your food-borne friends love your gut, you too should love and trust your gut feeling.
But then again… I only eat cooked things due to being slightly immunocompromised, and it’s a rare treat for my sister. (She only partakes in sashimi, raw fish, at “trusted” restaurants.)
Nonetheless, as I sat pointing out the different raw fish in the display case atop the bar, the idea of obtaining an extra passenger on the way out of the restaurant never fails to escape my mind. I guess I spend too much time reading about parasites to allow a prime pick-up spot get away mentally.
Then again, strangely enough, on the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) top ten list for food-borne parasites (you’ll recognize Toxoplasma gondii and Taenia solium if you’ve read my mental health post), only one is acquired from eating raw or undercooked fish, Opisthorchiidae, and it’s acquired from freshwater fish. Note that freshwater fish aren’t used as raw sashimi (you might see freshwater eel as a choice, but it IS cooked) due to the risk of parasites and other microorganisms [1]. For example, in Thailand, a popular dish involves raw, fermented fish that transmits this parasite which accumulates in the liver and causes bile duct cancer [2].
On the contrary, the typical culprits in infecting your sushi are Diphyllobothrium latum and Anisakidae, a tapeworm and roundworm respectively. If you’ve been following internet gossip or the news, one of the recent news stories describes a sushi-loving man discovering that his whole body was infected with Diphyllobothrium latum, which can be deadly if it reaches the brain [3]. (As in the case with most things.) Due to the translucent nature of raw fish, you can see any parasitic worms in your dinner by taking a close look (although your sushi chef should have done so already if he acquired the freshest fish and didn’t freeze it per FDA standards).
Other foods that pose a potential risk for parasites are undercooked or raw pork which can yield either an Trichinella spiralis (the worm responsible for trichinosis) or Taenia solium infection. Others are fresh produce since you don’t know about the quality of the water or whether any animals came into contact with said produce. This is why you always wash your fruits and vegetables, and certain produce that are hard to clean, such as broccoli or cauliflower, you should always cook.
One protozoan in particular, Cryptosporidium, I’d like to focus on for a moment. There was a particularly bad outbreak of Cryptosporidium in 1993 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Half the city contracted the parasite, and the main treatment is fluids to prevent dehydration during diarrheal episodes. (As always, it’s a main danger to immunocompromised patients as well as the very old and very young.) Known as the worst outbreak of the protozoan, the source of the disease was traced back to a contaminated water-treatment plant that serviced the southern portion of the city [4]. It just goes to show you, you always want to ensure the purity and cleanliness of your water.
To ensure you are never at the mercy of a food-borne parasite, always wash fruits, veggies, and even raw meats before cooking (you’ll wash off that layer of grime that also contains bacteria and viruses). Beware that even fermented or cured fishes and meats can still contain infectious parasites. Of course, just as abstinence isn’t the answer for “curing” the outbreak of sexually transmitted diseases, abstinence from your favorite foods (if unsafe) isn’t possible. If you like sashimi, ceviche, carpaccio, poke, or any other raw dish, don’t be afraid to ask the restaurant any questions about their sources and storage methods. (Be warned your home freezer isn’t enough to kill parasites so don’t try making sashimi at home unless you know how.) Also, you learn to know which restaurants are “trustworthy” and which may not be so much.
Remember, just as your food-borne friends love your gut, you too should love and trust your gut feeling.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Parasites on the World Wide Web
I think everyone’s seen that pop-up at least once in their lifetime on the Internet, the flashing one that reads “You are the 1,000,000 visitor on this site. You’ve won [prize]! Click here!” Other popular ones are the ones about a secret in losing weight, gaining muscles, or losing wrinkles. And we always hear about the ones with the scantily clad women for those that indulge in those lovely videos of the horizontal tango.
I’m sure you’re wondering what this has to do with parasites, unless you managed to read that helpful set of larger text at the top of this post… I’ve decided to do another parasite post in a less biological and clinical aspect (as in my social parasitism post). Since parasites sneak below our cultural view more often than not, let’s examine them in one of our keys to everyday simplicity, the World Wide Web, a.k.a. the Internet.
From the day we turned on the computer and set up access to the Internet, we have been vulnerable to Internet Parasite Software. Among these come familiar digital terms such as viruses, worms, adware (those exceptional pop ups you have a blocker for), and spyware [1]. Occasionally, a new virus will grace the span of the Internet and all the usual defensive programs can do nil to stop it from infecting computers across the globe. Usually then, a news story will report the dangers on our televisions, using words as worm, virus, or trojan horse.
But never parasite.
Essentially, that’s what all of these things are. Parasites. They serve no good, only harm. Except for maybe spyware gifting your credit card or identification information to that hacker halfway across the world, digital parasites serve no benefit to anyone. If anything, a new digital parasite only breeds hysteria once the news gets a hold of it.
But digital parasites are not just the malware that make a cozy nest in your computer. They also encompass the pirates for movies, television, and music. Come clean. More likely than not, you’ve downloaded a song or movie that you just didn’t want to pay for when it was sitting in front of you on your computer screen, glowing like a beacon with its glittered price tag reading FREE. In this case, the definition of parasite falls from black and white to grey. These pirates do spread content to people that might not have access and definitely provide a source of advertising, but for the producers of this content, these pirates are more parasitic than not.
In an attempt to hinder piracy, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (DMCA) protects copyrighted work on the never ending reach of the Internet [2]. Robert Levine, former Billboard executive editor, discusses the danger of digital piracy, how the DMCA is not enough, and how the industry can fight back in his book, Free Ride: How Digital Parasites Are Destroying the Culture Business and How the Culture Business Can Fight Back [3].
Digital parasites aren’t just the individuals uploading copyrighted media online for everyone, but there has been argument of our beloved search engine, Google, being a digital parasite. Google and other “companies that aggregate mainstream media content without paying a fee are the 'parasites or tech tapeworms in the intestines of the internet,'” claims Robert Thomson, editor of Wall Street Journal [4]. In short, the argument is that Google collects all this content (including copyrighted material) for free while receiving revenues for their sorting.
I doubt the general public would consider Google a parasite. Not when it answers our questions, provides us with email services, an online backup for files, among other things. (Although I think we can all agree Google+ is just a waste of space.) But to those who provide content, Google does collect cash for the content provider's hard work.
Corporate conglomerates collecting revenues for free content, harmful software that seeks to spread and corrupt within your files or hard drives, and the mysterious pirates who sail the seven seas of the Internet with plenty of booty… The parasites of the World Wide Web take many different forms depending on who you are and what sort of content you provide in the greater scheme of things. I think we can all agree that parasitic software needs to be guarded against, but the other two categories of digital parasites reside in the grey area of parasitic entities.
It's up to you, but next time that free download siren calls your name, or you search on Google for anything of interest, you might want to think twice about aiding a digital parasite.
I’m sure you’re wondering what this has to do with parasites, unless you managed to read that helpful set of larger text at the top of this post… I’ve decided to do another parasite post in a less biological and clinical aspect (as in my social parasitism post). Since parasites sneak below our cultural view more often than not, let’s examine them in one of our keys to everyday simplicity, the World Wide Web, a.k.a. the Internet.
From the day we turned on the computer and set up access to the Internet, we have been vulnerable to Internet Parasite Software. Among these come familiar digital terms such as viruses, worms, adware (those exceptional pop ups you have a blocker for), and spyware [1]. Occasionally, a new virus will grace the span of the Internet and all the usual defensive programs can do nil to stop it from infecting computers across the globe. Usually then, a news story will report the dangers on our televisions, using words as worm, virus, or trojan horse.
But never parasite.
Essentially, that’s what all of these things are. Parasites. They serve no good, only harm. Except for maybe spyware gifting your credit card or identification information to that hacker halfway across the world, digital parasites serve no benefit to anyone. If anything, a new digital parasite only breeds hysteria once the news gets a hold of it.
But digital parasites are not just the malware that make a cozy nest in your computer. They also encompass the pirates for movies, television, and music. Come clean. More likely than not, you’ve downloaded a song or movie that you just didn’t want to pay for when it was sitting in front of you on your computer screen, glowing like a beacon with its glittered price tag reading FREE. In this case, the definition of parasite falls from black and white to grey. These pirates do spread content to people that might not have access and definitely provide a source of advertising, but for the producers of this content, these pirates are more parasitic than not.
In an attempt to hinder piracy, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (DMCA) protects copyrighted work on the never ending reach of the Internet [2]. Robert Levine, former Billboard executive editor, discusses the danger of digital piracy, how the DMCA is not enough, and how the industry can fight back in his book, Free Ride: How Digital Parasites Are Destroying the Culture Business and How the Culture Business Can Fight Back [3].
Digital parasites aren’t just the individuals uploading copyrighted media online for everyone, but there has been argument of our beloved search engine, Google, being a digital parasite. Google and other “companies that aggregate mainstream media content without paying a fee are the 'parasites or tech tapeworms in the intestines of the internet,'” claims Robert Thomson, editor of Wall Street Journal [4]. In short, the argument is that Google collects all this content (including copyrighted material) for free while receiving revenues for their sorting.
I doubt the general public would consider Google a parasite. Not when it answers our questions, provides us with email services, an online backup for files, among other things. (Although I think we can all agree Google+ is just a waste of space.) But to those who provide content, Google does collect cash for the content provider's hard work.
Corporate conglomerates collecting revenues for free content, harmful software that seeks to spread and corrupt within your files or hard drives, and the mysterious pirates who sail the seven seas of the Internet with plenty of booty… The parasites of the World Wide Web take many different forms depending on who you are and what sort of content you provide in the greater scheme of things. I think we can all agree that parasitic software needs to be guarded against, but the other two categories of digital parasites reside in the grey area of parasitic entities.
It's up to you, but next time that free download siren calls your name, or you search on Google for anything of interest, you might want to think twice about aiding a digital parasite.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Spotlight: The Adventures of Mr. Lebo and his Piggies
Honestly, I can’t say I have any up close and personal experiences with parasites. I haven’t even been infested with lice or mites, and when living with or existing as a child, such things can be quite easy to contract. And if I was infested with a parasite, I honestly don’t think I’d be as good of a sport as Mr. Lebo.
Who is Mr. Lebo, you ask? Mr. Lebo is an elementary science teacher with Princeton Regional Schools who kept a science blog, Mad Science, while teaching students in Madagascar. The blog, since 2010, has been inactive, and his last blog update was on a Madagascar Children’s Home blog, Akany Avoko, in 2013. His activities since then are a mystery as his other listed blogs have no active links.
I am going to focus on Mr. Lebo’s extraordinary experience with his parasite infections, which were recounted on his Mad Science blog in November 2009 and January 2010. He takes a new spin on focusing on parasites from a personal account. Instead of taking a clinical account or the usual ‘Ew! Gross! THAT was in my body?’ response to parasitic infection, Lebo makes lighthearted fun of his infection through hyperbole and joking. He carries an almost admirable respect towards the parasites that once made home in his body. His attitude while spinning his tale with parasites mixes fun and education together, when usually parasites are anything but fun.
In his first entry, titled a fun “♬♬♬ I Love You...You Love Me...We are One Big Happy Parasitic Family ♬♬♬,”Lebo describes finding a black spot in his foot in which he discovers many parasite eggs (he doesn’t wait until they hatch to find out what it is). He starts off his post in a very casual tone, taking use of meiosis. (For you science people out there, not the sexual reproduction of cell division, but the figure of speech.) He demonstrates this underexpression of emotion in his line, “And, as it turns out, the parasites have been enjoying me as well.” Not the typical reaction to discovering parasites. But it gets better. Lebo draws in an abrupt, unexpected transition in paraprosdokian, pulling his calm, casual emotion into panic, based on his usage of exclamation points. Lebo plays with these shifts in emotion from reserved to panic by inserting sine dicendos (ie. stating the obvious) and returning to exclamated statements. One such instance, “There shouldn’t be eggs in my foot” plays a humorous tone to Lebo’s potential suffering.
In Mr. Lebo’s second adventure with parasites, he discovers a female sand flea, colloquially called jigger sometimes, in his toe with heaps of eggs. Lebo’s love of song returns in “This Little Piggy…” Yes, he even includes the fun child song in the beginning of his post.
Definitely sounds like a fun time, right?
Maybe not so much. This time, the parasite eggs are numerous, and the jigger has come along for the ride too. (It is unknown if the first infection, two months earlier, was of the same species.) There’s less of paraprosdokian and abrupt transitions between calm and panic this time around. Instead, Lebo’s characteristic “parent explaining to child” tone comes in. He describes the jigger as a “mommy” since it was carrying eggs and affectionately refers to his toes as “piggies” in honor of the leading song. He is more educational this time around, going through the process of infection and how he removed the flea and her babies from his body.
Although Mr. Lebo’s blog has since been defunct, he has some peculiar information about science from Madagascar and an interesting tale of parasitic infection. Definitely worth a look, and Mr. Lebo deserves some kudos for going through parasitic infection with such an open mind.
Who is Mr. Lebo, you ask? Mr. Lebo is an elementary science teacher with Princeton Regional Schools who kept a science blog, Mad Science, while teaching students in Madagascar. The blog, since 2010, has been inactive, and his last blog update was on a Madagascar Children’s Home blog, Akany Avoko, in 2013. His activities since then are a mystery as his other listed blogs have no active links.
I am going to focus on Mr. Lebo’s extraordinary experience with his parasite infections, which were recounted on his Mad Science blog in November 2009 and January 2010. He takes a new spin on focusing on parasites from a personal account. Instead of taking a clinical account or the usual ‘Ew! Gross! THAT was in my body?’ response to parasitic infection, Lebo makes lighthearted fun of his infection through hyperbole and joking. He carries an almost admirable respect towards the parasites that once made home in his body. His attitude while spinning his tale with parasites mixes fun and education together, when usually parasites are anything but fun.
In his first entry, titled a fun “♬♬♬ I Love You...You Love Me...We are One Big Happy Parasitic Family ♬♬♬,”Lebo describes finding a black spot in his foot in which he discovers many parasite eggs (he doesn’t wait until they hatch to find out what it is). He starts off his post in a very casual tone, taking use of meiosis. (For you science people out there, not the sexual reproduction of cell division, but the figure of speech.) He demonstrates this underexpression of emotion in his line, “And, as it turns out, the parasites have been enjoying me as well.” Not the typical reaction to discovering parasites. But it gets better. Lebo draws in an abrupt, unexpected transition in paraprosdokian, pulling his calm, casual emotion into panic, based on his usage of exclamation points. Lebo plays with these shifts in emotion from reserved to panic by inserting sine dicendos (ie. stating the obvious) and returning to exclamated statements. One such instance, “There shouldn’t be eggs in my foot” plays a humorous tone to Lebo’s potential suffering.
In Mr. Lebo’s second adventure with parasites, he discovers a female sand flea, colloquially called jigger sometimes, in his toe with heaps of eggs. Lebo’s love of song returns in “This Little Piggy…” Yes, he even includes the fun child song in the beginning of his post.
Definitely sounds like a fun time, right?
Maybe not so much. This time, the parasite eggs are numerous, and the jigger has come along for the ride too. (It is unknown if the first infection, two months earlier, was of the same species.) There’s less of paraprosdokian and abrupt transitions between calm and panic this time around. Instead, Lebo’s characteristic “parent explaining to child” tone comes in. He describes the jigger as a “mommy” since it was carrying eggs and affectionately refers to his toes as “piggies” in honor of the leading song. He is more educational this time around, going through the process of infection and how he removed the flea and her babies from his body.
Although Mr. Lebo’s blog has since been defunct, he has some peculiar information about science from Madagascar and an interesting tale of parasitic infection. Definitely worth a look, and Mr. Lebo deserves some kudos for going through parasitic infection with such an open mind.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Spotlight: Creepy Wonderful Dreadful Parasites
When it comes to searching for blogs related to clinical parasites and parasitology, most of the entries that pop up in the slew of Google results are health or biology related blogs. Of course, a general search of parasites can yield the ever so popular topic of “Blogging Parasites,” online vultures that prey upon other authors’ hard work and research without yielding the proper credit. Compared to blogs concerning food, fashion, and further fun topics, the topic of parasites remains unpopular in the larger blogosphere.
When you finally find that Google search entry you’ve been waiting for, the blog usually ends up very dry and clinical when discussing the fascinating body snatchers. (In a world lacking in discussion regarding parasites, anything is welcome, but a new spin on the topic unlike a Wikipedia, CDC, or WHO entry would be nice. To be honest, I probably am guilty of this crime in a few of my posts.)
That’s where Bobbi Pritt comes in with her blog, Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites. Rather than come in with another clinical evaluation of various parasites, she turns it into an online quiz show.
Okay, so it’s not a standard blog. The entries aren’t usually long winded explanations or even personal accounts. Instead, Pritt shows shots of microscopic slides, pictures of parasitic specimens, or the occasional Youtube video with a short explanation. Then she flips the usual parasite blogging practice upside down and asks her readers to identify the invader in question. In a week, the answer to the previous week’s case will be posted along with a new case. Ever the educator, Pritt will annotate the parasitic images for key features of the species and things to look for. Even medical specialists can learn something from Pritt’s weekly identification challenges.
With access to such a slew of information, it should come as no surprise that Pritt works as a director in a Clinical Parasitology lab with a Masters in Medical Parasitology from none other than the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. (For those of you who aren’t so keen on parasites and the study of them, I’d consider the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine one of the premier sites of studying parasitology. It’d definitely be my first choice in getting a Masters in the subject.) It’s no wonder she’s been posting parasite cases since late 2007!
For example, let’s first take a look at an organism post here. Pritt gives little information, but as an alternative gives some up close and personal shots of that handsome little bugger. In her answer post, here, she acknowledges every answer and identification differences between the answer (Lucilia sp.) and any wrong guesses, as well as noting specific features that any readers commented on. As a final salute, Pritt ends with a donated poem related to the organism.
In another weekly quiz entry, here, Pritt posts a donated case of microscope slides. Again, whatever information is available is given, this time the sample is from a colonoscopy from an older woman. Pritt posts the answer here with annotated features of the creature (Trichuris trichiura) in what to look for.
Dubbed the “Parasite Gal,” Pritt has no contest in lending her hand in educating her readers on parasites in a fun, and for most people, somewhat gross manner. (Yes, she has posted slides from stool samples and at least one from a baby’s diaper.) Even so, the readers appear to be familiar with parasites as many guess her parasitic puzzles correctly. Even if you’re warded off by the challenges of identifying these creatures, going through Pritt’s past entries can be very enlightening. Maybe not so much if you’re squeamish.
When you finally find that Google search entry you’ve been waiting for, the blog usually ends up very dry and clinical when discussing the fascinating body snatchers. (In a world lacking in discussion regarding parasites, anything is welcome, but a new spin on the topic unlike a Wikipedia, CDC, or WHO entry would be nice. To be honest, I probably am guilty of this crime in a few of my posts.)
That’s where Bobbi Pritt comes in with her blog, Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites. Rather than come in with another clinical evaluation of various parasites, she turns it into an online quiz show.
Okay, so it’s not a standard blog. The entries aren’t usually long winded explanations or even personal accounts. Instead, Pritt shows shots of microscopic slides, pictures of parasitic specimens, or the occasional Youtube video with a short explanation. Then she flips the usual parasite blogging practice upside down and asks her readers to identify the invader in question. In a week, the answer to the previous week’s case will be posted along with a new case. Ever the educator, Pritt will annotate the parasitic images for key features of the species and things to look for. Even medical specialists can learn something from Pritt’s weekly identification challenges.
With access to such a slew of information, it should come as no surprise that Pritt works as a director in a Clinical Parasitology lab with a Masters in Medical Parasitology from none other than the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. (For those of you who aren’t so keen on parasites and the study of them, I’d consider the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine one of the premier sites of studying parasitology. It’d definitely be my first choice in getting a Masters in the subject.) It’s no wonder she’s been posting parasite cases since late 2007!
For example, let’s first take a look at an organism post here. Pritt gives little information, but as an alternative gives some up close and personal shots of that handsome little bugger. In her answer post, here, she acknowledges every answer and identification differences between the answer (Lucilia sp.) and any wrong guesses, as well as noting specific features that any readers commented on. As a final salute, Pritt ends with a donated poem related to the organism.
In another weekly quiz entry, here, Pritt posts a donated case of microscope slides. Again, whatever information is available is given, this time the sample is from a colonoscopy from an older woman. Pritt posts the answer here with annotated features of the creature (Trichuris trichiura) in what to look for.
Dubbed the “Parasite Gal,” Pritt has no contest in lending her hand in educating her readers on parasites in a fun, and for most people, somewhat gross manner. (Yes, she has posted slides from stool samples and at least one from a baby’s diaper.) Even so, the readers appear to be familiar with parasites as many guess her parasitic puzzles correctly. Even if you’re warded off by the challenges of identifying these creatures, going through Pritt’s past entries can be very enlightening. Maybe not so much if you’re squeamish.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Parasites and Mental Health: Toxoplasmosis and Neurocysticercosis
It seems almost like an oxymoron. Parasites are known as infectious agents, and mental health is traditionally seen as a separate entity from physical health. When parasites end up in the brain, however, mental health can be affected. An idea known as infectious mental illness describes the role of viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections in affecting one’s mental health. Not the typical idea behind the practice of mental health.
It should be noted that while there is a trio notorious for infecting the brain, the final one, Naegleria fowleri (the brain-eating amoeba), rarely leaves survivors and kills quickly, enough so that mental health of such patients is difficult to study. Thus we’ll save that one for a rainy day.
The first, Toxoplasma gondii, is a protozoan parasite that is normally found in cats. The parasite is excreted through the faeces, where animals and humans come into contact and can be infected with the parasite. While the parasite is widespread with little signs of infection, there has been plenty of talk of the protozoan causing changes in mental status. Studies on mice infected with Toxoplasma have found that those mice lose their fear of cats and will actually run towards cats! The reason for this is because the best chance for the parasite to grow and reproduce is inside a cat’s digestive tract, and all the better for the mouse to be eaten for the parasite.
Of course, when such mental changes happen in other mammals when infected, scientists like to look at humans. After all, we are animals too. Despite the fact we like to believe that we are better than drugs, medications, and little parasites, we are all susceptible to them. It’s sometimes hard to swallow that at our basic level, neurotransmitters are what controls our personalities and emotions. That what we feel and who we are is simply a level of neurotransmitters and hormones. And that’s what Toxoplasma affects. This little protozoan affects the production of dopamine, the so-called happiness hormone.
Too much “happiness” cannot be a bad thing, right? Wrong. We balance between too much dopamine causing schizophrenia and too little causing Parkinson’s Disease. In people infected with Toxoplasma, there was found to be a direct “statistical link” between infection and schizophrenia [1]. In addition, toxoplasmosis in women leads to an increase of a chance in having a baby with schizophrenia. Toxoplasma produces the enzyme precursor to the dopamine, tyrosine hydroxylase, and it would make sense that this increase in dopamine precursor could cause schizophrenia.
It's not just the possible link between the protozoan and schizophrenia. Studies have found that those infected with Toxoplasma exhibit more risky behavior, and thus are more likely to be involved with car accidents [2]. Furthermore, a new study done in Denmark describes the association between toxoplasmosis and suicide in women. Women with the Toxoplasma parasite were more likely to attempt suicide and more likely to do so via violent methods (ie. with a gun or knife) [3].
The seemingly harmless parasite is subtle in its changes in our mind and body. Most people do not show symptoms when infected, and it's only when we become immunocompromised that Toxoplasma causes apparent problems. Toxoplasmosis is not as harmless as it seems when it affects our personalities and has a potential to cause mental illness.
The second, Taenia solium, is actually a pig tapeworm that infects our intestines. Normally, the parasite remains in the gut, but it can migrate to the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. The problem arises when the worms die, and the immune system reacts to the carcasses, forming calcified cysts around the dead worms. When the cysts are in the muscles, it is merely called cysticercosis and is generally asymptomatic. The problem arises when these worms die in the spinal cord or brain, when the cysticercosis becomes neurocysticercosis.
Neurocysticercosis causes everything from seizures to confusion to excruciating headaches. The problem comes when diagnosing neurocysticercosis because the symptoms can be similar to meningitis and in California, it isn't considered a health concern. In fact, the opposite is true. Tapeworms are on the rise in the US (or at least California) due to plenty of immigrants coming in from various, many times developing, countries. The problem is that the cysts can only be removed surgically, a very costly and dangerous procedure. The only way to prevent neurocysticercosis is to not be infected with tapeworms and to avoid those infected. Problem is... you don't know who is infected.
The issues don't end there. People with neurocysticercosis also have a possibility to have an altered mental status, including depression or psychosis. It's not surprising, considering these cysts are in the brain and depending on what region they're in, what symptoms will manifest. For example, one patient with the disease lost feeling in her right leg, foot, and hand [4].
For more on neurocysticercosis from a patient's perspective, here is a blog from someone who was infected and the aftermath of his infection.
Both taxoplasmosis and neurocysticercosis are conditions where parasites turn on our most beloved organ, our brain. In one case, the parasite dies and it's our immune system trying to isolate the foreign entity from native tissue that causes the issue. Because of the location, mental health can be affected. In the other case, the parasite is made to alter personality in an attempt to return to its preferred environment, inside a cat. Although this usually works for mice and rats, in humans, the parasite is simply doing what it does best. To the detriment of our health.
The lesson to be learned here is that parasites don't just infect our bodies, but can affect how we feel and how we act. If a parasite takes hold inside you, you never know... It may just be calling the shots.
It should be noted that while there is a trio notorious for infecting the brain, the final one, Naegleria fowleri (the brain-eating amoeba), rarely leaves survivors and kills quickly, enough so that mental health of such patients is difficult to study. Thus we’ll save that one for a rainy day.
The first, Toxoplasma gondii, is a protozoan parasite that is normally found in cats. The parasite is excreted through the faeces, where animals and humans come into contact and can be infected with the parasite. While the parasite is widespread with little signs of infection, there has been plenty of talk of the protozoan causing changes in mental status. Studies on mice infected with Toxoplasma have found that those mice lose their fear of cats and will actually run towards cats! The reason for this is because the best chance for the parasite to grow and reproduce is inside a cat’s digestive tract, and all the better for the mouse to be eaten for the parasite.
Of course, when such mental changes happen in other mammals when infected, scientists like to look at humans. After all, we are animals too. Despite the fact we like to believe that we are better than drugs, medications, and little parasites, we are all susceptible to them. It’s sometimes hard to swallow that at our basic level, neurotransmitters are what controls our personalities and emotions. That what we feel and who we are is simply a level of neurotransmitters and hormones. And that’s what Toxoplasma affects. This little protozoan affects the production of dopamine, the so-called happiness hormone.
Too much “happiness” cannot be a bad thing, right? Wrong. We balance between too much dopamine causing schizophrenia and too little causing Parkinson’s Disease. In people infected with Toxoplasma, there was found to be a direct “statistical link” between infection and schizophrenia [1]. In addition, toxoplasmosis in women leads to an increase of a chance in having a baby with schizophrenia. Toxoplasma produces the enzyme precursor to the dopamine, tyrosine hydroxylase, and it would make sense that this increase in dopamine precursor could cause schizophrenia.
It's not just the possible link between the protozoan and schizophrenia. Studies have found that those infected with Toxoplasma exhibit more risky behavior, and thus are more likely to be involved with car accidents [2]. Furthermore, a new study done in Denmark describes the association between toxoplasmosis and suicide in women. Women with the Toxoplasma parasite were more likely to attempt suicide and more likely to do so via violent methods (ie. with a gun or knife) [3].
The seemingly harmless parasite is subtle in its changes in our mind and body. Most people do not show symptoms when infected, and it's only when we become immunocompromised that Toxoplasma causes apparent problems. Toxoplasmosis is not as harmless as it seems when it affects our personalities and has a potential to cause mental illness.
The second, Taenia solium, is actually a pig tapeworm that infects our intestines. Normally, the parasite remains in the gut, but it can migrate to the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. The problem arises when the worms die, and the immune system reacts to the carcasses, forming calcified cysts around the dead worms. When the cysts are in the muscles, it is merely called cysticercosis and is generally asymptomatic. The problem arises when these worms die in the spinal cord or brain, when the cysticercosis becomes neurocysticercosis.
Neurocysticercosis causes everything from seizures to confusion to excruciating headaches. The problem comes when diagnosing neurocysticercosis because the symptoms can be similar to meningitis and in California, it isn't considered a health concern. In fact, the opposite is true. Tapeworms are on the rise in the US (or at least California) due to plenty of immigrants coming in from various, many times developing, countries. The problem is that the cysts can only be removed surgically, a very costly and dangerous procedure. The only way to prevent neurocysticercosis is to not be infected with tapeworms and to avoid those infected. Problem is... you don't know who is infected.
The issues don't end there. People with neurocysticercosis also have a possibility to have an altered mental status, including depression or psychosis. It's not surprising, considering these cysts are in the brain and depending on what region they're in, what symptoms will manifest. For example, one patient with the disease lost feeling in her right leg, foot, and hand [4].
For more on neurocysticercosis from a patient's perspective, here is a blog from someone who was infected and the aftermath of his infection.
Both taxoplasmosis and neurocysticercosis are conditions where parasites turn on our most beloved organ, our brain. In one case, the parasite dies and it's our immune system trying to isolate the foreign entity from native tissue that causes the issue. Because of the location, mental health can be affected. In the other case, the parasite is made to alter personality in an attempt to return to its preferred environment, inside a cat. Although this usually works for mice and rats, in humans, the parasite is simply doing what it does best. To the detriment of our health.
The lesson to be learned here is that parasites don't just infect our bodies, but can affect how we feel and how we act. If a parasite takes hold inside you, you never know... It may just be calling the shots.
Friday, October 10, 2014
A Social Bookmarking Gem
Jörg Reiher (newjoerg) is a user on Diigo with a focus on social bookmarking pages related to science and medicine with a whopping 2023 public bookmarks. Science and medicine is vaguely related to parasites in a more clinical reason. Unfortunately, most searches about parasites will yield medical/clinical results and tend to lack the cultural and social perspective about them (for example, social parasitism which doesn't involve the clinical parasite at all). As such, Reiher only has tags on science, medicine, parasites, biology, genetics, the brain, psychology, and animals. Most of my blog stays within the realm of the biological/medical parasite so we have quite a bit in common although Reiher remains much more general in his or her interests.
Now, realistically speaking, 2023 bookmarks is a bit of a wide net to cover. So I'm going to focus on their "parasite" tag with a meager 23 bookmarks. Not to worry though! Even in this little basket, there are quite a few gems inside.
Let's start with a bit of an odd one. "Why is there sex? To fight the parasite army" is a peculiar article discussing experiments based on Caenorhabditis elegans, a hermaphroditic worm that can either reproduce asexually (ie. by itself) or sexually. Scientists noted that when the worms were infected with a bacterial parasite, the worms were more likely to reproduce sexually. This is because sexual reproduction increases genetic diversity (in order for natural selection to occur) and survivability. It's definitely an interesting piece when trying to figure out how to fight back against a parasite.
"Parasitic worms paint warning colours on their hosts using glowing bacteria" is another fascinating piece which involves describing the behavior of the Heterorhabditis group of worms when they infect caterpillars. The nematode worms have a symbiotic relationship with a type of glowing bacteria, Photorhabdus luminescens (the answer is in the name), which the worms release upon entrance in the host. The bacteria kill the caterpillar and "paint it" red, which is distasteful to birds which normally eat the caterpillars. This is able to help the nematodes and bacteria remain safe in the carcass, where both can eat and remain until it's time to infect another caterpillar.
Both articles describe interesting ways in which both host and parasite act in order to increase survivability and reproduce. While I've taken it upon myself so far to focus on the relationships between parasites and humans (a topic I find underwritten about, especially in the United States), it's important to remember there are many parasites out there that are made for animals. In some cases, parasites infect or are transferred into humans by mistake and it's unquestionably important to study how parasites act and influence behaviors of their hosts.
Reiher has been a member of Diigo since December 2010 and was last active in bookmarking publicly yesterday with occasional additions from less than a week to almost three. He or she has recently tagged some personal interests of mine including an article on diagnosis of a fatal brain disease and an article on ebola.
If you have an interests in anything regarding science or medicine, chances are Reiher has something for you.
Now, realistically speaking, 2023 bookmarks is a bit of a wide net to cover. So I'm going to focus on their "parasite" tag with a meager 23 bookmarks. Not to worry though! Even in this little basket, there are quite a few gems inside.
Let's start with a bit of an odd one. "Why is there sex? To fight the parasite army" is a peculiar article discussing experiments based on Caenorhabditis elegans, a hermaphroditic worm that can either reproduce asexually (ie. by itself) or sexually. Scientists noted that when the worms were infected with a bacterial parasite, the worms were more likely to reproduce sexually. This is because sexual reproduction increases genetic diversity (in order for natural selection to occur) and survivability. It's definitely an interesting piece when trying to figure out how to fight back against a parasite.
"Parasitic worms paint warning colours on their hosts using glowing bacteria" is another fascinating piece which involves describing the behavior of the Heterorhabditis group of worms when they infect caterpillars. The nematode worms have a symbiotic relationship with a type of glowing bacteria, Photorhabdus luminescens (the answer is in the name), which the worms release upon entrance in the host. The bacteria kill the caterpillar and "paint it" red, which is distasteful to birds which normally eat the caterpillars. This is able to help the nematodes and bacteria remain safe in the carcass, where both can eat and remain until it's time to infect another caterpillar.
Both articles describe interesting ways in which both host and parasite act in order to increase survivability and reproduce. While I've taken it upon myself so far to focus on the relationships between parasites and humans (a topic I find underwritten about, especially in the United States), it's important to remember there are many parasites out there that are made for animals. In some cases, parasites infect or are transferred into humans by mistake and it's unquestionably important to study how parasites act and influence behaviors of their hosts.
Reiher has been a member of Diigo since December 2010 and was last active in bookmarking publicly yesterday with occasional additions from less than a week to almost three. He or she has recently tagged some personal interests of mine including an article on diagnosis of a fatal brain disease and an article on ebola.
If you have an interests in anything regarding science or medicine, chances are Reiher has something for you.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Social Parasitism: Parasites of the Third Kind
For the true undesired roommate, a person that comes to mind might be one that doesn’t clean up after themselves or almost always fails to pay the rent on time. Maybe it’s someone that always borrows your clothes without permission, or cash in your purse or wallet always seems to be misplaced.
While I was studying abroad in London, one of my fellow study abroad students relayed to me that silverware in the shared kitchen of her flat (apartment) always went missing. It turns out one of her flatmates was a silverware kleptomaniac. Now, I never met the supposed silverware thief, but this could be considered an example of social parasitism.
Social parasitism speaks for itself in its name. Rather than being a tapeworm, mite, protozoan, or amoeba, the parasite is another human (and in some cases, animal), and said being is doing more harm than good. Sometimes we describe a relationship with a 'friend' (and I do use that term loosely here) as parasitic. Maybe that friend only invites you out when you offer to pay. Or it’s one of ‘those’ friends that bully you into doing things for them. A social parasite can range from a friend to your family to your coworkers to just about any tier in your social circle.
But parasites of this ‘third kind’ are not just the people in your social circle. Actually, it can be argued, by certain political parties, that capitalists can be a form of parasites in modern society. James Connolly, an Irish socialist involved with the Easter Rising, describes the capitalist as such.
Connolly claims the capitalists, the rich, were leeches. They do nothing but suck from the working class. It should be pointed out that Connolly was a Marxist theorist and believed in syndicalism; therefore, he was on the extreme end on his feelings regarding capitalists as social parasites.
The concept of social parasitism has definitely evolved over time. Beginning in Greece circa 350 B.C., Alexis titled one of his plays Parasitos, where the term describes someone who attended the tables of the rich, receiving a meal with his flattery and willingness to perform services [1]. More recently, German propaganda from the World War II era describes Jews as parasites of humanity and possibly the world [2]. In 1961, the Soviet Union actually had a law banning social parasites (specifically people who refused to work but were able to work) [3]. Compare that to the post 2000's era, where there has been talk of dogs being a form of social parasites [4].
Social parasites take many forms and are partially based on social and political views of the time. Currently, on one side of the political spectrum, capitalists are the social parasites, and on the other, the lazy good-for-nothings are the parasitic entities. One can argue that in some form, we all are social parasites to someone. Take for example, a child. This child throws a tantrum when he doesn’t get the toy he wanted at the store, eats all his parents’ food, and essentially uses more resources than he gives back to society. This child, and arguably most children, would fit the social parasite definition. But would we consider children to be social parasites? Probably not. Then we’d have to come to terms that we all, at least at some point, were parasites.
It’s definitely not a boost to the self-esteem.
By definition, being called a parasite is unpleasant to say the least. While one can prevent from being a parasite in smaller social circles by trying to be useful, or at least not harmful, you cannot truly prevent being thought of as parasitic. Even then, one can argue that this is a case of one’s usefulness (or harmfulness) being in the eye of the beholder. After all, you can never please everyone.
On the other hand, in societies, as ideas and conceptions change over time, so will the idea of who is the parasite. It’s a social and political form of “Where’s Waldo?” except maybe one not to play with your friends.
While I was studying abroad in London, one of my fellow study abroad students relayed to me that silverware in the shared kitchen of her flat (apartment) always went missing. It turns out one of her flatmates was a silverware kleptomaniac. Now, I never met the supposed silverware thief, but this could be considered an example of social parasitism.
Social parasitism speaks for itself in its name. Rather than being a tapeworm, mite, protozoan, or amoeba, the parasite is another human (and in some cases, animal), and said being is doing more harm than good. Sometimes we describe a relationship with a 'friend' (and I do use that term loosely here) as parasitic. Maybe that friend only invites you out when you offer to pay. Or it’s one of ‘those’ friends that bully you into doing things for them. A social parasite can range from a friend to your family to your coworkers to just about any tier in your social circle.
But parasites of this ‘third kind’ are not just the people in your social circle. Actually, it can be argued, by certain political parties, that capitalists can be a form of parasites in modern society. James Connolly, an Irish socialist involved with the Easter Rising, describes the capitalist as such.
The capitalist, I say, is a parasite on industry; as useless in the present stage of our industrial development as any other parasite in the animal or vegetable world is to the life of the animal or vegetable upon which it feeds. The working class is the victim of this parasite – this human leech, and it is the duty and interest of the working class to use every means in its power to oust this parasite class from the position which enables it to thus prey upon the vitals of labour. [1]
Connolly claims the capitalists, the rich, were leeches. They do nothing but suck from the working class. It should be pointed out that Connolly was a Marxist theorist and believed in syndicalism; therefore, he was on the extreme end on his feelings regarding capitalists as social parasites.
The concept of social parasitism has definitely evolved over time. Beginning in Greece circa 350 B.C., Alexis titled one of his plays Parasitos, where the term describes someone who attended the tables of the rich, receiving a meal with his flattery and willingness to perform services [1]. More recently, German propaganda from the World War II era describes Jews as parasites of humanity and possibly the world [2]. In 1961, the Soviet Union actually had a law banning social parasites (specifically people who refused to work but were able to work) [3]. Compare that to the post 2000's era, where there has been talk of dogs being a form of social parasites [4].
Social parasites take many forms and are partially based on social and political views of the time. Currently, on one side of the political spectrum, capitalists are the social parasites, and on the other, the lazy good-for-nothings are the parasitic entities. One can argue that in some form, we all are social parasites to someone. Take for example, a child. This child throws a tantrum when he doesn’t get the toy he wanted at the store, eats all his parents’ food, and essentially uses more resources than he gives back to society. This child, and arguably most children, would fit the social parasite definition. But would we consider children to be social parasites? Probably not. Then we’d have to come to terms that we all, at least at some point, were parasites.
It’s definitely not a boost to the self-esteem.
By definition, being called a parasite is unpleasant to say the least. While one can prevent from being a parasite in smaller social circles by trying to be useful, or at least not harmful, you cannot truly prevent being thought of as parasitic. Even then, one can argue that this is a case of one’s usefulness (or harmfulness) being in the eye of the beholder. After all, you can never please everyone.
On the other hand, in societies, as ideas and conceptions change over time, so will the idea of who is the parasite. It’s a social and political form of “Where’s Waldo?” except maybe one not to play with your friends.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Myiasis: Burrowed Under the Skin
Imagine you go on a vacation in the tropics. You do some sightseeing, maybe zip-lining through the treetops, relax on a lazy river through the jungle on an inner tube… Or if that’s not your cup of tea, how about an African safari? You ride on a jeep-led tour as you snap photographs of elephants, antelope, giraffes… Maybe you’re lucky enough to spot a rare cheetah or a lazy lion. Now you get back from your eventful and exciting vacation, and you feel refreshed and relaxed. Then maybe in a few days to a week, you notice some red bumps on your skin. Funny, those weren’t there before. They become itchy, maybe painful, but you hope they’ll go away. But no, they persist. You go to the doctor; they don’t know what it is. But it’s okay. A couple red bumps. It’s not life threatening, maybe painful, but you can function. But of course, you just want the pain and the associated bumps to go away.
This can be a common scenario, and in fact, happened to a family friend. Her family took a vacation in Belize, and she returned to have three red bumps on her scalp. Her son also had one. Those bumps, larger than a mosquito bite, were still small, but painful. She got piercing headaches. Attending the physician yielded no diagnosis, even when she mentioned she returned from Belize.
It was her husband that researched the mysterious red bumps on the internet to diagnose her. It was botfly larva nestled inside of her skin. Luckily, the larvae are not horribly dangerous, merely painful. He coated the protrusions with Vaseline, and a day later, used tweezers on the revealed antenna to pull the growing larva out. The Vaseline covers the pore so that the larvae are suffocated beneath the skin.
So how do these larvae end up on humans? The adult flies are free-living (ie. do not live burrowed in our skin) and lay their eggs anywhere from bed spreads or clothing to mosquitoes. When humans come into contact with the eggs, the larvae are transferred to the warm body and burrow beneath the skin. In some cases, the botfly can lay eggs directly on the humans.
When a human is infested with some species of fly (botfly are the usual culprits in infesting humans), it is called myiasis. Unlike lice which nestle in our hair, myiasis is actually a burrowed maggot of some fly species, usually the botfly, but potentially others. Scabies, a highly contagious mite, also burrows, but infests via contact with mites, rather than larvae. In addition, in scabies, you see more of a rash pattern rather than few or singular protrusions as in myiasis. The botfly larvae can burrow in any skin, sometimes in the soles of the feet if one is barefoot and comes into contact in eggs within the soil.
Of course, I imagine the number one question would be how to avoid becoming infested with botfly larvae. I also vacated to Belize a couple of years ago and everyone in my group was botfly-free. Insect repellent is a must when travelling to tropical regions (and even non-tropical regions). Be sure to check the local insects and be aware of what is out there and potential diseases. Don't go barefoot. (Botfly eggs are not the only potential parasites lurking in the soil!) And lastly, don't leave clothing outside, like a hat, and then wear it. You never know what might be on it.
With every parasite, avoidance is a matter of knowing how the parasite transmits and eliminating those pathways to protect yourself. Safe travels!
This can be a common scenario, and in fact, happened to a family friend. Her family took a vacation in Belize, and she returned to have three red bumps on her scalp. Her son also had one. Those bumps, larger than a mosquito bite, were still small, but painful. She got piercing headaches. Attending the physician yielded no diagnosis, even when she mentioned she returned from Belize.
It was her husband that researched the mysterious red bumps on the internet to diagnose her. It was botfly larva nestled inside of her skin. Luckily, the larvae are not horribly dangerous, merely painful. He coated the protrusions with Vaseline, and a day later, used tweezers on the revealed antenna to pull the growing larva out. The Vaseline covers the pore so that the larvae are suffocated beneath the skin.
So how do these larvae end up on humans? The adult flies are free-living (ie. do not live burrowed in our skin) and lay their eggs anywhere from bed spreads or clothing to mosquitoes. When humans come into contact with the eggs, the larvae are transferred to the warm body and burrow beneath the skin. In some cases, the botfly can lay eggs directly on the humans.
When a human is infested with some species of fly (botfly are the usual culprits in infesting humans), it is called myiasis. Unlike lice which nestle in our hair, myiasis is actually a burrowed maggot of some fly species, usually the botfly, but potentially others. Scabies, a highly contagious mite, also burrows, but infests via contact with mites, rather than larvae. In addition, in scabies, you see more of a rash pattern rather than few or singular protrusions as in myiasis. The botfly larvae can burrow in any skin, sometimes in the soles of the feet if one is barefoot and comes into contact in eggs within the soil.
Of course, I imagine the number one question would be how to avoid becoming infested with botfly larvae. I also vacated to Belize a couple of years ago and everyone in my group was botfly-free. Insect repellent is a must when travelling to tropical regions (and even non-tropical regions). Be sure to check the local insects and be aware of what is out there and potential diseases. Don't go barefoot. (Botfly eggs are not the only potential parasites lurking in the soil!) And lastly, don't leave clothing outside, like a hat, and then wear it. You never know what might be on it.
With every parasite, avoidance is a matter of knowing how the parasite transmits and eliminating those pathways to protect yourself. Safe travels!
Friday, September 19, 2014
Why bother? - Parasites and the Lack of Attention in the US
I was debating on what topic to choose to write about for this week, and one kept coming to the forefront of my mind. Why parasites? I should have honestly made this the first of my open blog posts even if I vaguely covered the process of settling on parasites as the overarching theme for this blog in the first post. But I digress…
Why parasites? Why go into the deep layers of tissue and skin to rip out the little hookworm nestled in there? Why dive into the warm waters in Florida to search for the microscopic horror of an amoeba lurking there? Why try to cover the topic that would make people cringe and clench their eyes shut when faced with it?
Is it for a shock factor? Perhaps.
What about the clinical significance? Certainly millions of lives have been claimed by malaria. More die from neglected tropical diseases such as onchocerciasis, or River Blindness, and other diseases. This holds a greater weight in my choosing of parasites as my muse.
But there’s something, while gross, intriguing about the creatures that have managed to evolve alongside us rather than being wiped out. They seek to boost their own survival by living off another living being. Some take action right away, infecting just about anywhere in our bodies and waging war against us. Others have evolved to survive, inactive and safe in a cocoon, safe until the time is right.
They lurk in our pets, the soil, fresh water, our food, or even in pests that like to bite us. It seems almost as if there’s no escape from parasites. They continue to thrive and exist in the world with us, and while most parasites don’t aim to end up inside us, inevitably, it does happen. The Toxocara species of roundworm can be found in dogs or cats. Uncooked pork can yield trichinosis. A mosquito bite in Africa can result in malaria.
Parasites seem to remain listed among tropical medicine, even if they exist here in the United States and in Europe. This can result in lack of knowledge among medical practitioners, even infectious disease physicians. If you wanted a Master’s Degree in Parasitology in the US, you’d have to venture over to Texas, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, or New York. Maybe it’s because the US prides itself as being the country with the most and most recent technology in the medical field – even if it helps make our healthcare the most expensive.
With up-to-date and recent healthcare, parasites pose little threat to our health here with few exceptions. The one with the track record of nearly 100% fatal is extremely rare, and you’d probably never see it in your lifetime (unless you went looking for it). So parasites remain forgotten here. Cancer, heart disease, obesity, and other chronic diseases remain much more important on the research list. The creatures that lurk beneath our line of sight in the environment remain in the shadows of more common and pressing health issues.
Ironically, a new theory has risen stating that parasites can be the “norm” and that they are not necessarily harmful. The hygiene hypothesis states that our immune system evolved to combat pathogens, including parasites, and that with the increasing sanitation, our immune systems became hyperactive. What results then are autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s Disease, allergies, and rheumatoid arthritis. There have also been recent experiments examining the potential therapeutic nature of some parasitic worms.
So why should we care in the US where malaria is a long forgotten disease unless we step foot in Africa or other tropical climates? It’s not just about curbing the pathogens in our environment, but stepping back and searching for the benefits in these parasitic worms that may relieve these chronic conditions. By name, parasitic worms are already labeled as pathogens. They are seen as the enemy, the cause of disease. But like E. coli being used prominently in molecular biological technology as vessels to replicate plasmids, parasites can too be useful beyond their pathogenic nomenclature.
If the hygiene hypothesis is correct, autoimmune and inflammatory conditions were partly because of our transition to sanitation. But all is not lost. These conditions may become a thing of the past if we revisit parasites instead of turning away from them.
Why parasites? Why go into the deep layers of tissue and skin to rip out the little hookworm nestled in there? Why dive into the warm waters in Florida to search for the microscopic horror of an amoeba lurking there? Why try to cover the topic that would make people cringe and clench their eyes shut when faced with it?
Is it for a shock factor? Perhaps.
What about the clinical significance? Certainly millions of lives have been claimed by malaria. More die from neglected tropical diseases such as onchocerciasis, or River Blindness, and other diseases. This holds a greater weight in my choosing of parasites as my muse.
But there’s something, while gross, intriguing about the creatures that have managed to evolve alongside us rather than being wiped out. They seek to boost their own survival by living off another living being. Some take action right away, infecting just about anywhere in our bodies and waging war against us. Others have evolved to survive, inactive and safe in a cocoon, safe until the time is right.
They lurk in our pets, the soil, fresh water, our food, or even in pests that like to bite us. It seems almost as if there’s no escape from parasites. They continue to thrive and exist in the world with us, and while most parasites don’t aim to end up inside us, inevitably, it does happen. The Toxocara species of roundworm can be found in dogs or cats. Uncooked pork can yield trichinosis. A mosquito bite in Africa can result in malaria.
Parasites seem to remain listed among tropical medicine, even if they exist here in the United States and in Europe. This can result in lack of knowledge among medical practitioners, even infectious disease physicians. If you wanted a Master’s Degree in Parasitology in the US, you’d have to venture over to Texas, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, or New York. Maybe it’s because the US prides itself as being the country with the most and most recent technology in the medical field – even if it helps make our healthcare the most expensive.
With up-to-date and recent healthcare, parasites pose little threat to our health here with few exceptions. The one with the track record of nearly 100% fatal is extremely rare, and you’d probably never see it in your lifetime (unless you went looking for it). So parasites remain forgotten here. Cancer, heart disease, obesity, and other chronic diseases remain much more important on the research list. The creatures that lurk beneath our line of sight in the environment remain in the shadows of more common and pressing health issues.
Ironically, a new theory has risen stating that parasites can be the “norm” and that they are not necessarily harmful. The hygiene hypothesis states that our immune system evolved to combat pathogens, including parasites, and that with the increasing sanitation, our immune systems became hyperactive. What results then are autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s Disease, allergies, and rheumatoid arthritis. There have also been recent experiments examining the potential therapeutic nature of some parasitic worms.
So why should we care in the US where malaria is a long forgotten disease unless we step foot in Africa or other tropical climates? It’s not just about curbing the pathogens in our environment, but stepping back and searching for the benefits in these parasitic worms that may relieve these chronic conditions. By name, parasitic worms are already labeled as pathogens. They are seen as the enemy, the cause of disease. But like E. coli being used prominently in molecular biological technology as vessels to replicate plasmids, parasites can too be useful beyond their pathogenic nomenclature.
If the hygiene hypothesis is correct, autoimmune and inflammatory conditions were partly because of our transition to sanitation. But all is not lost. These conditions may become a thing of the past if we revisit parasites instead of turning away from them.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Childhood Infestations: Lice
If you take a trip down memory lane, back into the days of elementary school or even preschool, you might remember the yearly checks down at the school nurse’s office. With gloved hands picking through the strands of your hair, she’d mess up your unruly hair, maybe yanking as she roughly goes through the strands, scanning... Looking for something... Maybe one of your classmates was discreetly pulled out of the classroom and went home for the day. If it was you, your parents would have been notified, and you would have had to use a special shampoo or be given medication for some amount of time.
If you didn’t know what she was looking for, (maybe you heard the word “lice,” but didn’t know what lice were at a young age,) it was an ectoparasite, a parasite living on your body by feeding on your blood. In elementary school, when I went through the dreaded lice checks, I didn’t even know what a louse was. All I knew was that they caused your head to itch, and they laid eggs in your scalp. Like every other child, I cringed at the thought of some bug living in my hair and laying eggs to produce more of the things.
Thankfully, head lice are relatively harmless despite being infectious and fairly common, even in the United States. Head lice are also unable to fly, so infestation is by contact with an infested person. Over the counter medications are readily available for infested persons and all clothing, bedding, and like items in contact with the head or hair should be thoroughly cleaned in hot water or air cycles.
Unless you were infested, you might be unfamiliar with two other species of lice, one that infests the body and one that infests the pubic area (also known as “crab” lice). Like head lice, body and crab lice also infest through contact with an infested person. Only body lice are known to transmit disease, such as typhus and trench fever.
To avoid lice, the only way is to avoid infested persons and places where infested persons have been. Lice do not survive off a living person for very long, a day or two at most, but it is wise to not share combs, head scarves, or hats with others. It is unlikely you’d catch lice by staying in hotels where infested people have been, unlike ticks or scabies.
“Crabs” and lice aren’t typically thought of to be a parasite, maybe because they live on the outside of one’s body, and do not live inside, such as a tapeworm. Strictly speaking, a parasite is an organism that lives off another organism while causing some detriment to the host organism. So by this definition, (female) mosquitoes could fit the definition since they live off human blood. Other ectoparasites include, but are not limited to, ticks, fleas, and scabies.
Parasites remain a topic common to tropical medicine, but are missing in industrialized countries. Parasites should be studied everywhere; there are parasites native to the United States that remain an uncommon topic. Lice are fairly harmless and mainly only cause discomfort and itchiness, but some parasites indigenous to the United States can cause detrimental effect to the health of humans. Some of these and other parasites will be a topic for the following weeks.
If you didn’t know what she was looking for, (maybe you heard the word “lice,” but didn’t know what lice were at a young age,) it was an ectoparasite, a parasite living on your body by feeding on your blood. In elementary school, when I went through the dreaded lice checks, I didn’t even know what a louse was. All I knew was that they caused your head to itch, and they laid eggs in your scalp. Like every other child, I cringed at the thought of some bug living in my hair and laying eggs to produce more of the things.
Thankfully, head lice are relatively harmless despite being infectious and fairly common, even in the United States. Head lice are also unable to fly, so infestation is by contact with an infested person. Over the counter medications are readily available for infested persons and all clothing, bedding, and like items in contact with the head or hair should be thoroughly cleaned in hot water or air cycles.
Unless you were infested, you might be unfamiliar with two other species of lice, one that infests the body and one that infests the pubic area (also known as “crab” lice). Like head lice, body and crab lice also infest through contact with an infested person. Only body lice are known to transmit disease, such as typhus and trench fever.
To avoid lice, the only way is to avoid infested persons and places where infested persons have been. Lice do not survive off a living person for very long, a day or two at most, but it is wise to not share combs, head scarves, or hats with others. It is unlikely you’d catch lice by staying in hotels where infested people have been, unlike ticks or scabies.
“Crabs” and lice aren’t typically thought of to be a parasite, maybe because they live on the outside of one’s body, and do not live inside, such as a tapeworm. Strictly speaking, a parasite is an organism that lives off another organism while causing some detriment to the host organism. So by this definition, (female) mosquitoes could fit the definition since they live off human blood. Other ectoparasites include, but are not limited to, ticks, fleas, and scabies.
Parasites remain a topic common to tropical medicine, but are missing in industrialized countries. Parasites should be studied everywhere; there are parasites native to the United States that remain an uncommon topic. Lice are fairly harmless and mainly only cause discomfort and itchiness, but some parasites indigenous to the United States can cause detrimental effect to the health of humans. Some of these and other parasites will be a topic for the following weeks.
Friday, September 5, 2014
Annotation: "Teaching Human Parasitology in China"
Zhao, Guanghui; He, Shenyi; Chen, Lin; Shi, Na; Bai, Yang; and Zhu, Xing-Quan. “Teaching human parasitology in China.” Parasites and Vectors 5.77.
This article is a review of the current quality of human parasitology courses in China within higher education institutions. The authors focus on the human parasitology courses offered as required courses or electives, depending on the institution. They call for more integrated parasitology education overall, especially for underdeveloped areas in which parasites are more common.
The authors highlight the current courses that reflect the parasitology education in order to expose China’s education status internationally. The higher education institutions providing some type of parasitology are listed, although the authors note the lack of independent programs. They cover all of the possibilities, even looking into postgraduate education and education of foreign students. Nonetheless, the authors still call for teaching reforms to improve parasitology education within China.
This article would be particularly useful in researching parasitology education and comparing and contrasting China’s established education to those of another nation or region. In addition, this article could also be used in discovering knowledge creation regarding medical education, specifically focusing on parasites and related subjects.
This article is a review of the current quality of human parasitology courses in China within higher education institutions. The authors focus on the human parasitology courses offered as required courses or electives, depending on the institution. They call for more integrated parasitology education overall, especially for underdeveloped areas in which parasites are more common.
The authors highlight the current courses that reflect the parasitology education in order to expose China’s education status internationally. The higher education institutions providing some type of parasitology are listed, although the authors note the lack of independent programs. They cover all of the possibilities, even looking into postgraduate education and education of foreign students. Nonetheless, the authors still call for teaching reforms to improve parasitology education within China.
This article would be particularly useful in researching parasitology education and comparing and contrasting China’s established education to those of another nation or region. In addition, this article could also be used in discovering knowledge creation regarding medical education, specifically focusing on parasites and related subjects.
Hello, World.
When something goes wrong with our bodies, when we feel ill, or when we don’t feel “quite right,” we turn to physicians. We might be referred to a specialist, for example, a pulmonologist if it’s our lungs or breathing, but all the same we look towards physicians. But even physicians are only human, and humans make mistakes or sometimes simply don’t know.
In my experience, the lack of knowledge left my condition undiagnosed for two extra months. Two extra months of pain and mystery, and frustration from friends and family that claimed I was “faking it.” One day, pain began in the back of my neck and my upper back. Like any healthy teen, I presumed it was a strained muscle from lifting something heavy or sleeping in an odd position. When the pain became too severe, I went to the Urgent Care which claimed it was from a heavy backpack and tight muscles. The treatment was muscle relaxants.
The pain continued, but I faithfully took my medication as prescribed, hoping the issue would resolve. It never did. Rather it became worse, until a visible growth appeared in my neck. This time, the Urgent Care proceeded to do more tests, and two masses were revealed, one in my neck and another in front of my heart.
The final diagnosis was non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Cancer. The word no one wants to hear. After two years of treatment, I can say I lived to tell the tale. Not without the scars and effects from various drug cocktails, but I am alive.
Other people dance with death in different forms, not a miscalculation when replication in cells goes awry, but sometimes by having a living organism grow inside you, a parasite. Like a tumor grows uncontrollably by potentially hijacking your circulatory system to receive more blood flow, a parasite grows by harvesting nutrients from their host. Some are relatively harmless with only minor symptoms, but others are notorious for killing many of their hosts if left alone. Even if one lives to tell the tale, there may be visible scars of one’s battle. And time is almost always a factor when dealing with parasitic infection.
How do these organisms survive within our bodies? Why do they use us to survive? Are parasites a major threat to our health?
Parasites remain a prime topic regarding tropical medicine, but are a vague or under researched topic among other areas. A parasite is never one’s first thought when trying to figure the cause of one’s illness. Is it because the mind always yields to common causes such as bacteria or viruses, or is it because there is a lack of knowledge overall? Maybe it is because the thought of a “creepy crawly” inside of us is too stomach-turning to bear. But when our physicians cannot diagnose parasites, it puts our health at risk.
I hope to cover why these organisms continue to thrive in the world and their relationship with us along with our relationship with them. What are the dangers to watch out for? Or are we safe in our temperate climate? What are the signs to look for parasitic infection? Let’s go beyond the vague name of “tapeworm” and look at the different types. How about turning towards the parasites your own pet can pick up and potentially infect you? And what about the aquatic amoeba that likes to eat your brain?
Maybe along with disgust and revulsion, we can step back and admire the amazing ability of parasites to live off a host by slipping past our defenses or fighting them… as long as the host isn’t us.
In my experience, the lack of knowledge left my condition undiagnosed for two extra months. Two extra months of pain and mystery, and frustration from friends and family that claimed I was “faking it.” One day, pain began in the back of my neck and my upper back. Like any healthy teen, I presumed it was a strained muscle from lifting something heavy or sleeping in an odd position. When the pain became too severe, I went to the Urgent Care which claimed it was from a heavy backpack and tight muscles. The treatment was muscle relaxants.
The pain continued, but I faithfully took my medication as prescribed, hoping the issue would resolve. It never did. Rather it became worse, until a visible growth appeared in my neck. This time, the Urgent Care proceeded to do more tests, and two masses were revealed, one in my neck and another in front of my heart.
The final diagnosis was non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Cancer. The word no one wants to hear. After two years of treatment, I can say I lived to tell the tale. Not without the scars and effects from various drug cocktails, but I am alive.
Other people dance with death in different forms, not a miscalculation when replication in cells goes awry, but sometimes by having a living organism grow inside you, a parasite. Like a tumor grows uncontrollably by potentially hijacking your circulatory system to receive more blood flow, a parasite grows by harvesting nutrients from their host. Some are relatively harmless with only minor symptoms, but others are notorious for killing many of their hosts if left alone. Even if one lives to tell the tale, there may be visible scars of one’s battle. And time is almost always a factor when dealing with parasitic infection.
How do these organisms survive within our bodies? Why do they use us to survive? Are parasites a major threat to our health?
Parasites remain a prime topic regarding tropical medicine, but are a vague or under researched topic among other areas. A parasite is never one’s first thought when trying to figure the cause of one’s illness. Is it because the mind always yields to common causes such as bacteria or viruses, or is it because there is a lack of knowledge overall? Maybe it is because the thought of a “creepy crawly” inside of us is too stomach-turning to bear. But when our physicians cannot diagnose parasites, it puts our health at risk.
I hope to cover why these organisms continue to thrive in the world and their relationship with us along with our relationship with them. What are the dangers to watch out for? Or are we safe in our temperate climate? What are the signs to look for parasitic infection? Let’s go beyond the vague name of “tapeworm” and look at the different types. How about turning towards the parasites your own pet can pick up and potentially infect you? And what about the aquatic amoeba that likes to eat your brain?
Maybe along with disgust and revulsion, we can step back and admire the amazing ability of parasites to live off a host by slipping past our defenses or fighting them… as long as the host isn’t us.
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