6 ms·

The importance of this subject is underestimated and applies as well quite independently of whether humans eat the insects directly or not. Consider the cuban t

by eth0up 4y ago

The importance of this subject is underestimated and applies as well quite independently of whether humans eat the insects directly or not. Consider the cuban tree frog for example, which has long since initiated its campaign in Florida to host and spread throughout the food chain the rat lungworm nematode. Rat lungworm (angiostrongylus) holds its own in the burgeoning presence of hideous and hostile parasites. It is highly infectious to many species and no picky eater, as it favors the entire body of the host, the brain and all. Burmese pythons are another up and coming host in Florida, and while they might prefer a provincial life in the everglades, many other species will meander north and onward. There are other nasties from nematodes to cestodes and more, gaining new ground. Baylisascaris procyonis is another terrible nematode found almost anywhere in the US, mostly in racoons, but in other species (humans included) with more varying and less frequency and it's often incurable. A study showed that, if I remember correctly, 40 out of 250 wildlife rehabilitation personnel had been exposed, but symptoms varied by exposure load. Both rat lungworm and baylis ascaris are resistant to environmental elements that normally break things down, with baylis even surviving UV light, formaldehyde and extreme cold. Rat lungworm can be deposited on surfaces (eg vegetables), and snails are common vectors. Lungworm is very difficult to remove by washing while baylis is so adhesive that wildlife control authorities advise disposing of rather than washing shovels or tools exposed to racoon latrines. The list goes merrily along with other nasties, but it would require time to refresh my memory and accurately describe more.

justcookitright 4y ago
Shindi 4y ago
I'm sorry to be direct, I know your post has a ton of interesting knowledge, but it was impossible to read. Have you considered using newlines or breaks? You probably have amazing ideas and more people would read them if it was easier to read (my 2c)
- yubiox 4y ago
  it is not clear(I hit return here) how to put newlines(and here) on HN
  - eth0up 4y ago
    Return Twice
- chitowneats 4y ago
  This is very important advice. You will see a noticeable uptick in engagement with your comments on this website if you add newlines for emphasis, clarity, and readability. You don't necessarily need to put them between every sentence. There is a bit of finesse involved. That being said, the comment is so excellent and information dense that it largely escapes this potential pitfall.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
- antirez 4y ago
  No offence, but I would rather suggest improving your reading skills. Books don't have newlines or spacing, mostly: do you have issues reading a novel as well? That would be a major problem. But I bet you don't have any issues reading books, because this demand of spacing is a lot stronger among US readers and I bet is mostly cultural rather than a real issue.
  - zajio1am 4y ago
    Most books have reasonably-sized paragraphs.
    - kazinator 4y ago
      I just picked a book at random: Moby Dick, by Herman Melville. First thing that popped into my head. Scanning through the first chapter (thanks to Project Gutenberg) I easily found a paragraph that looks larger than the discussed comment, starting with "Lord save me, thinks I". Indeed has 520 words, which is almost twice the comment's 277. I'm with Antirez here: dumb Americans who can't read and all that. Though anyone reading using a wide browser window on a desktop will be facing long lines; don't blame the big paragraph for poor readability due to line length.
kodah 4y ago
So, reading this is intimidating. Can you ELI5 what risk these pose to humans or species in close proximity to us?
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- eth0up 4y ago
  >ELI5 Hmm. That would come with the more frightening risk of HN community scrutiny, a sort of indelible scabies of the retrospective consciousness. What the hell.. If you're 5, or any age with a palate for insects, especially centipedes [1], cook them first or consider sugar free gummy worms until mom can prepare them properly. More seriously, it depends largely on behavior, ie personal hygiene, industrial standards, awareness, etc. Some factors are potentially impossible to control, such as invasive species or other environmental factors. There are older reports similar to [1] where children initiated the infection (of lungworm and other deleterious parasites) by consuming insects, and in some cases spread them to adults. There are many cases of vegetables infecting people too, eg lungworm in Hawaii [2]. Also many other species in man..most other countries. In one study I read, a large and eclectic sample of vegetables and fruits from scattered European countries showed a high prevalence of infectious parasites in a significant percentage of the batch. Similar studies showed similar and worse elsewhere. One particularly interesting study found a vegetable farm which was frequently down wind of a kennel housing a large number of x (I've forgotten the animal type). The crop was riddled with wind-disseminated infectious parasites -- I forget the type, but it was nasty and somewhat impervious to the elements. Invasive species, interference with wildlife, development, animal agriculture proximal to veg ag, climate and much more is involved. For anyone who realizes it as a formidable danger, I think the risk is smaller. For most, it's probably not large, but growing and, I personally believe, an insidious factor behind some misdiagnosed conditions. Parasites are everywhere, with most posing minimal risk. Pinworms, for example, infect a surprising portion of the mighty and developed US population, which is why you can find pinworm medicine on the shelves of any pharmacy. They often go unnoticed, but in some, cause severe itching and further complications if untreated over many years. Children are common carriers and the eggs can be spread on/via dust particles that enter the nose, and by the very fingers that scratch the itch. Thankfully, a single dose of parantel pamoate and a thorough housecleaning usually eradicates the problem. If you do vist Florida, which has been ill-advised by my HN editor[3], watch what you eat raw. Raw panther would be a great way to get trichinosis, with +20% of them carrying it. Wild hogs too, which is often where the panthers get it. Whether in Florida or Florence, raw foods pose risk, which sucks because they can also be the healthiest. Indoor/outdoor pets are a difficult situation too. There are more and less serious threats here. I remember finding my best friend with little grains of rice crawling all over his arse. They are a form of tapeworm where fleas are the vector. Oddly, I could have eaten one if I so chose and have remained unaffected. However, if I'd eaten an infected flea, I'd be infected. The progottids of that particular species generally need to be ingested while inside the flea for it to settle in a new host. Edit: If the cat had laid in or passed over infected raccoon droppings, things could be much worse (think baylisascaris p). The mentioned tapeworms were easily eradicated with a single dose. Nothing works well on the former. Most American health professionals will dismiss the risk of parasites as trivial, if that is any consolation. But if you prefer to pursue your concern, there is much to read and learn, from entertaining videos of people examining live worms in their restaurant sushi or wriggling through the salmon at Costco, to hard scientific studies and case reports of human and animal infections of many varieties everywhere in the world. If I've failed to ELI5 or convoluted the subject, it's because it's a huge subject and I'm a mnemonically challenged dilettante with one finger to communicate with today. My advice is to not panic, don't develop complexes, and instead, be aware and learn and apply what you learn practically. And to be extra safe, avoid Florida -- it's getting crowded anyway. 1. https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/centipedes-can-carry-rat-lungwormjust-in-case-you-needed-a-reason-not-to-eat-them-raw https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/centipedes-can... 2. https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/disease_listing/rat-lungworm-angiostrongyliasis/ https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/disease_listing/rat-lungworm-... 3. Thanks to all for the feedback, attempted defense from it, and the editing. Sometimes I'm very fond of the folks on HN.
AtlasBarfed 4y ago
... just because I'm bored: The importance of this subject is underestimated and applies as well quite independently of whether humans eat the insects directly or not. Consider the cuban tree frog for example, which has long since initiated its campaign in Florida to host and spread throughout the food chain the rat lungworm nematode. Rat lungworm (angiostrongylus) holds its own in the burgeoning presence of hideous and hostile parasites. It is highly infectious to many species and no picky eater, as it favors the entire body of the host, the brain and all. Burmese pythons are another up and coming host in Florida, and while they might prefer a provincial life in the everglades, many other species will meander north and onward. There are other nasties from nematodes to cestodes and more, gaining new ground. Baylisascaris procyonis is another terrible nematode found almost anywhere in the US, mostly in racoons, but in other species (humans included) with more varying and less frequency and it's often incurable. A study showed that, if I remember correctly, 40 out of 250 wildlife rehabilitation personnel had been exposed, but symptoms varied by exposure load. Both rat lungworm and baylis ascaris are resistant to environmental elements that normally break things down, with baylis even surviving UV light, formaldehyde and extreme cold. Rat lungworm can be deposited on surfaces (eg vegetables), and snails are common vectors. Lungworm is very difficult to remove by washing while baylis is so adhesive that wildlife control authorities advise disposing of rather than washing shovels or tools exposed to racoon latrines. The list goes merrily along with other nasties, but it would require time to refresh my memory and accurately describe more. ... the conclusion I got: don't move to Florida.
pvaldes 4y ago
Just as note: Baylisascaris procyonis can stunt grow and brain development in children and is related in part with the "redneck stereotype".
- eth0up 4y ago
  From my reading, a child would be fortunate to only suffer stunted growth. One reason for higher/longer survival rates in adults is the greater volume of the skull tolerating more pressure from the worms and reaction they cause. In children, the inner-cranial pressure is more deadly. I've never encountered any references to rednecks and baylis, but I've met some that, in hindsight, might clarify and reinforce your note.

by eth0up 4y ago

justcookitright 4y ago

Shindi 4y ago

I'm sorry to be direct, I know your post has a ton of interesting knowledge, but it was impossible to read. Have you considered using newlines or breaks? You probably have amazing ideas and more people would read them if it was easier to read (my 2c)

yubiox 4y ago
it is not clear(I hit return here) how to put newlines(and here) on HN
- eth0up 4y ago
  Return Twice
chitowneats 4y ago
This is very important advice. You will see a noticeable uptick in engagement with your comments on this website if you add newlines for emphasis, clarity, and readability. You don't necessarily need to put them between every sentence. There is a bit of finesse involved. That being said, the comment is so excellent and information dense that it largely escapes this potential pitfall.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
antirez 4y ago
No offence, but I would rather suggest improving your reading skills. Books don't have newlines or spacing, mostly: do you have issues reading a novel as well? That would be a major problem. But I bet you don't have any issues reading books, because this demand of spacing is a lot stronger among US readers and I bet is mostly cultural rather than a real issue.
- zajio1am 4y ago
  Most books have reasonably-sized paragraphs.
  - kazinator 4y ago
    I just picked a book at random: Moby Dick, by Herman Melville. First thing that popped into my head. Scanning through the first chapter (thanks to Project Gutenberg) I easily found a paragraph that looks larger than the discussed comment, starting with "Lord save me, thinks I". Indeed has 520 words, which is almost twice the comment's 277. I'm with Antirez here: dumb Americans who can't read and all that. Though anyone reading using a wide browser window on a desktop will be facing long lines; don't blame the big paragraph for poor readability due to line length.

kodah 4y ago

So, reading this is intimidating. Can you ELI5 what risk these pose to humans or species in close proximity to us?

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
eth0up 4y ago
>ELI5 Hmm. That would come with the more frightening risk of HN community scrutiny, a sort of indelible scabies of the retrospective consciousness. What the hell.. If you're 5, or any age with a palate for insects, especially centipedes [1], cook them first or consider sugar free gummy worms until mom can prepare them properly. More seriously, it depends largely on behavior, ie personal hygiene, industrial standards, awareness, etc. Some factors are potentially impossible to control, such as invasive species or other environmental factors. There are older reports similar to [1] where children initiated the infection (of lungworm and other deleterious parasites) by consuming insects, and in some cases spread them to adults. There are many cases of vegetables infecting people too, eg lungworm in Hawaii [2]. Also many other species in man..most other countries. In one study I read, a large and eclectic sample of vegetables and fruits from scattered European countries showed a high prevalence of infectious parasites in a significant percentage of the batch. Similar studies showed similar and worse elsewhere. One particularly interesting study found a vegetable farm which was frequently down wind of a kennel housing a large number of x (I've forgotten the animal type). The crop was riddled with wind-disseminated infectious parasites -- I forget the type, but it was nasty and somewhat impervious to the elements. Invasive species, interference with wildlife, development, animal agriculture proximal to veg ag, climate and much more is involved. For anyone who realizes it as a formidable danger, I think the risk is smaller. For most, it's probably not large, but growing and, I personally believe, an insidious factor behind some misdiagnosed conditions. Parasites are everywhere, with most posing minimal risk. Pinworms, for example, infect a surprising portion of the mighty and developed US population, which is why you can find pinworm medicine on the shelves of any pharmacy. They often go unnoticed, but in some, cause severe itching and further complications if untreated over many years. Children are common carriers and the eggs can be spread on/via dust particles that enter the nose, and by the very fingers that scratch the itch. Thankfully, a single dose of parantel pamoate and a thorough housecleaning usually eradicates the problem. If you do vist Florida, which has been ill-advised by my HN editor[3], watch what you eat raw. Raw panther would be a great way to get trichinosis, with +20% of them carrying it. Wild hogs too, which is often where the panthers get it. Whether in Florida or Florence, raw foods pose risk, which sucks because they can also be the healthiest. Indoor/outdoor pets are a difficult situation too. There are more and less serious threats here. I remember finding my best friend with little grains of rice crawling all over his arse. They are a form of tapeworm where fleas are the vector. Oddly, I could have eaten one if I so chose and have remained unaffected. However, if I'd eaten an infected flea, I'd be infected. The progottids of that particular species generally need to be ingested while inside the flea for it to settle in a new host. Edit: If the cat had laid in or passed over infected raccoon droppings, things could be much worse (think baylisascaris p). The mentioned tapeworms were easily eradicated with a single dose. Nothing works well on the former. Most American health professionals will dismiss the risk of parasites as trivial, if that is any consolation. But if you prefer to pursue your concern, there is much to read and learn, from entertaining videos of people examining live worms in their restaurant sushi or wriggling through the salmon at Costco, to hard scientific studies and case reports of human and animal infections of many varieties everywhere in the world. If I've failed to ELI5 or convoluted the subject, it's because it's a huge subject and I'm a mnemonically challenged dilettante with one finger to communicate with today. My advice is to not panic, don't develop complexes, and instead, be aware and learn and apply what you learn practically. And to be extra safe, avoid Florida -- it's getting crowded anyway. 1. https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/centipedes-can-carry-rat-lungwormjust-in-case-you-needed-a-reason-not-to-eat-them-raw https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/centipedes-can... 2. https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/disease_listing/rat-lungworm-angiostrongyliasis/ https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/disease_listing/rat-lungworm-... 3. Thanks to all for the feedback, attempted defense from it, and the editing. Sometimes I'm very fond of the folks on HN.

AtlasBarfed 4y ago

... just because I'm bored: The importance of this subject is underestimated and applies as well quite independently of whether humans eat the insects directly or not. Consider the cuban tree frog for example, which has long since initiated its campaign in Florida to host and spread throughout the food chain the rat lungworm nematode. Rat lungworm (angiostrongylus) holds its own in the burgeoning presence of hideous and hostile parasites. It is highly infectious to many species and no picky eater, as it favors the entire body of the host, the brain and all. Burmese pythons are another up and coming host in Florida, and while they might prefer a provincial life in the everglades, many other species will meander north and onward. There are other nasties from nematodes to cestodes and more, gaining new ground. Baylisascaris procyonis is another terrible nematode found almost anywhere in the US, mostly in racoons, but in other species (humans included) with more varying and less frequency and it's often incurable. A study showed that, if I remember correctly, 40 out of 250 wildlife rehabilitation personnel had been exposed, but symptoms varied by exposure load. Both rat lungworm and baylis ascaris are resistant to environmental elements that normally break things down, with baylis even surviving UV light, formaldehyde and extreme cold. Rat lungworm can be deposited on surfaces (eg vegetables), and snails are common vectors. Lungworm is very difficult to remove by washing while baylis is so adhesive that wildlife control authorities advise disposing of rather than washing shovels or tools exposed to racoon latrines. The list goes merrily along with other nasties, but it would require time to refresh my memory and accurately describe more. ... the conclusion I got: don't move to Florida.

pvaldes 4y ago

Just as note: Baylisascaris procyonis can stunt grow and brain development in children and is related in part with the "redneck stereotype".

eth0up 4y ago
From my reading, a child would be fortunate to only suffer stunted growth. One reason for higher/longer survival rates in adults is the greater volume of the skull tolerating more pressure from the worms and reaction they cause. In children, the inner-cranial pressure is more deadly. I've never encountered any references to rednecks and baylis, but I've met some that, in hindsight, might clarify and reinforce your note.