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Hidden Epidemic: Tapeworms Living Inside People's Brains

discovermagazine.com

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Re: Hidden Epidemic: Tapeworms Living Inside People's Brains

#21

Post by option_greek »

cstejerean wrote: post #17
pbhjpbhj wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You missed it, though it wasn't explicit: >" The eggs are shed in the infected person’s feces. Pigs swallow these eggs accidentally as they rummage for food on the ground. When the parasite eggs reach a pig’s stomach, larvae hatch and burrow their way into the animal’s bloodstream. Eventually they end up lodged in small blood vessels, typically in the animal’s muscles. There they form cysts and wait until their host…

That's how to get regular tapeworms that end up in the intestine. To get cysts in the brain the process is slightly different: "But sometimes tapeworms take a wrong turn. Instead of going into a pig, the eggs end up in a human. This can occur if someone shedding tapeworm eggs contaminates food that other people then eat. When the egg hatches, the confused larva does not develop into an adult in the human’s intestines…

And more importantly you don't need to eat pork to get them.

Re: Hidden Epidemic: Tapeworms Living Inside People's Brains

#23

Post by georgieporgie »

yaix wrote: post #14
pbhjpbhj wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You missed it, though it wasn't explicit: >" The eggs are shed in the infected person’s feces. Pigs swallow these eggs accidentally as they rummage for food on the ground. When the parasite eggs reach a pig’s stomach, larvae hatch and burrow their way into the animal’s bloodstream. Eventually they end up lodged in small blood vessels, typically in the animal’s muscles. There they form cysts and wait until their host…

That's why every pork that is slaughtered will be inspected by a vetarinarian who is looking for these eggs (little white balls). I remember, when I was a kid, my grandparents had pigs on their farm and when they slaughtered one once a year, some dude with a microscope would come the next day, check it and put a stamp on it. And I am pretty sure that it is the initial reason why some religions are not allowed to eat…

And I am pretty sure that it is the initial reason why some religions are not allowed to eat pork

In anthropology class, we were told that bone records showed the domestication of pigs, a subsequent explosion in pig population, then a sudden disappearance. The most likely explanation, we were told, was that pigs competed with humans for resources.

Re: Hidden Epidemic: Tapeworms Living Inside People's Brains

#24

Post by brlewis »

I couldn't find the "epidemic" part of this article. Is there one? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemic

In epidemiology, an epidemic (επί (epi)- meaning "upon or above" and δήμος (demos)- meaning "people"), occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience.

Re: Hidden Epidemic: Tapeworms Living Inside People's Brains

#27

Post by OstiaAntica »

This pathology is NOT caught from eating pork. It can come from any food prepared by someone atypically shedding eggs (most likely someone from Latin America.) In fact you are more likely to get it from eating raw salad than cooked pork.

"But sometimes tapeworms take a wrong turn. Instead of going into a pig, the eggs end up in a human. This can occur if someone shedding tapeworm eggs contaminates food that other people then eat."

Re: Hidden Epidemic: Tapeworms Living Inside People's Brains

#29

Post by jacquesm »

bryze wrote: post #7
CodeCube wrote: post #3

Good god, that is horrifying. Did I miss it, or did the article not say how one contracts this? I think I'll steer clear of the pork chops today.

Seems like avoiding undercooked pork and fecal contamination should do it.

That wouldn't be enough. Even a vegetarian can contract this.

Re: Hidden Epidemic: Tapeworms Living Inside People's Brains

#30

Post by shaggyfrog »

liamondrop wrote: post #5

* puts down sandwich * backs away slowly * forward article to office, so they understand what I must now do * reaches for flamethrower...

As the writhing, teeming mass of mindworms swarmed over the outer perimeter, we saw the defenders recoil in horror. "Stay calm! Use your flame guns!" shouted the commander, but to no avail. It is well know that the Mind Worm Boil uses psychic terror to paralyze its prey, and then carefully implants ravenous larvae into the brains of its still-conscious victims. Even with the best weapons, only the most disciplined troops can resist this horrific attack.
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