https://blog.nature.org/2021/08/17/the-disturbingly-long-tapeworms-of-alaskan-bears/
A tapeworm living inside a bear can reach lengths of 30 feet or more. Sometimes the bear defecates either a living or dead tapeworm. This appears to be uncomfortable for the bear, as you might well imagine.
Not for the faint-of-heart. One minute run-time.
The Guardian goes on to recount a pretty horrifying story where a man believes his intestines are falling out of him, which ruins his morning. He gives it a closer look. And then, like something out of Aliens, the “intestine” starts moving about of its own accord.
It turns out, this guy enjoyed a daily treat of salmon sashimi. And the popularity of sushi is increasing the cases of human tapeworms.
I think the ERJ family will skip sushimi this Lent.
As much as we might not like this fact, parasites are a part of the earth’s biodiversity. If you can get by the gross factor, the evolution of these creatures is fascinating. And it’s not going away. An estimated 40 percent of animals are parasites.
And I believe that estimate of 40%is low if you look at legacy, "Blue", US cities.
Hat-tip Lucas
A friend of mine was very hung-ho with a business idea consisting of enrolling overweight people in a program that involved them ingesting a tapeworm and then being monitored in a weight loss “program”. When the desired goal was reached the tapeworm would be removed from the host. It was hard to convince him that it likely violated a number of state and federal laws, even if the subjects signed waivers. But I suspect it could actually work. Certainly might be easier than discipline and diet…
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed this experience as a young man. Took some of the critter to my doc who had never seen one. Looked up the treatment I. One of his books. It was a moving experience to see something that long leave your body.
ReplyDeleteTook me about 30 years to start eating sushi again…
Well, not that I have been eating much sushi lately, but this pretty much kills any interest I might have recently. Looks like Uisdean Ruadh and I will have to resort to Fish and Chips for our weekly Lenten dinners.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great reason to drink an ivermectin cocktail occasionally.
ReplyDeleteIvermectin is not the drug-of-choice for tapeworms. Merck's Handbook suggests Niclosamide, Mebendazole and fenbendazole (sister drugs) work OK but need several days of treatment. Praziquantel is also sometimes used but is not effective against the eggs of the tapeworms.
DeleteEven native Mexicanos don't drink the water for fear of parasites. Common de-worming for people is a pungent herb called Epazote. Grows in MN on the north side of my deck. Cook with beans, or make tea. Old timers swear by it.
Deletehad friend in medicine. said many orientals were afflicted because of raw seafood
ReplyDeleteon a related note heard two forest rangers talking about a man dying who had made jerky out of bear meat--trichina worms not killed by jerking process
https://www.phlabs.com/yes-there-is-a-tapeworm-diet-no-you-should-not-try-it
ReplyDeleteIf you are on an emergency survival raft in the ocean after your boat sank and starvation is a factor, then definitely eat raw seafood.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, do not eat raw seafood.
That bear doesn't look bothered by it. But he sure could use a friend to stand on it, or give it a couple wraps on the brush.
ReplyDeleteJerry
How best to treat human parasites? Pretty good at IDing.
ReplyDeleteParasitic humans.
ReplyDeleteThe puppy will not follow you home if you don't feed it.
DeleteYou know we call that sushi stuff "bait" down here, right? Good reasons for that.
ReplyDeletePoop! Noiw you have my guts rolling, I guess the bear can sing "you never walk alone".
ReplyDeleteHis recoil mechanism broke. I had a lawnmower like that once.
ReplyDeleteBad thing about tapeworms is they shed parts. Break one off and it'll be two. Their eggs get in the blood stream and grow where they attach. Brain, lung, kidney, they don't care. Not a happy thought. Makes me shiver....
Mom used to cook bacon close to charcoal. She knew about trichina worms. It's been a hard habit to break, so mine is still a bit crispier than most anyone else's.
$95 an hour! Seriously I don’t know why more people haven’t tried this, I work two shifts, 2 hours in the day and 2 in the evening… t50 And whats awesome is Im working from home so I get more time with my kids.
ReplyDeleteHeres where I went...... WorkingDave