3 ms·
As far as I know, you can get some parasites (not sure about Ascaris specifically) just from walking around barefoot. I know they aren't really that dangerous
by nerdponx 4y ago
As far as I know, you can get some parasites (not sure about Ascaris specifically) just from walking around barefoot.
I know they aren't really that dangerous unless you have a really high worm load, or you're unlucky and one ends up in a part of your body where it doesn't normally live, but their lifecycle is thoroughly disgusting and terrifying. Definitely something I've stayed up at night freaking out about at a few points in my life.
- sureglymop 4y agoIf that's the case, what about swimming in a river or lake?
- kuhewa 4y agoNo. the larvae that would infect humans aren't competent swimmers. If you are a little zooplankton predator like a copepod, there would be little L2 stage roundworm larvae of various species whipping about (after having hatched from eggs that came out of a larger predator's gut) trying to attract attention and get eaten so they could continue the lifecycle (often, they'd need to get eaten by at least one larger predator to mature). There are Ascaris-like worms in water that can affect humans, see: Anisakis. But you wouldn't get infected by larvae in the environment, you'd have to eat undercooked fish that ate the zooplankton that ate the L2 worms and get infected through the gut once they are L3 stage. Ah - Dracunculus aka guinea worm is a another you could get from water, but you'd need to actually drink the copepods.
- sureglymop 4y agoThank you for explaining! Interesting stuff :)
- kuhewa 4y ago> As far as I know, you can get some parasites (not sure about Ascaris specifically) just from walking around barefoot. I think its just a couple hookworm species that'll get in through your feet