Parasites

[Michaelangelica]

ABC's local radio Sydney has Self Improvement wednesday.

It can be about almost any arcane subject

today it was about paracites.

I missed most of it but as a result of this thread have gone back to have another look.

They have a quiz after the talk

HERE-

702 Quiz

 

I don't think I can get the audio.

Opps maybe you can

SEE:-

The Pros and Cons of human parasites. 07 Nov 2007. ABC Sydney. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Lesson 80: The Pros and Cons of human parasites.

Our teacher this week is Martyn Robinson, Naturalist of the Australian Museum.

Martyn has worked at the Australian Museum for more than 20 years. He has published and illustrated scientific papers and notes on many animals and written natural history articles for popular magazines and books.

His interests range from protozoa, fungi and plants to invertebrates, reptiles and mammals. He has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Biology and currently works as a Naturalist promoting and explaining natural history and the work of the Museum's scientists.

 

Take the Self Improvement Quiz!

 

Why not subscribe to the regular podcast of Self Improvement Wednesday sessions. To subscribe, simply paste the following xml address into your podcasting application. Australian Broadcasting Corporation

 

Tomorrow I will tell the story of the Hippy, the Herbalst , Tea Tree and Giardia.

[freeztar]

They have a quiz after the talk

HERE-

702 Quiz

 

Well, I got a 25% score.

 

One of the questions asked "Which is an endangered parasite?". It turned out to be this one:Animal Parasites and Human Disease - Google Book Search

Tomorrow I will tell the story of the Hippy, the Herbalst , Tea Tree and Giardia.

 

I look forward to it! :)

[palmtreepathos]

Well, I got a 25% score. :hihi:

I am grateful to not know the 6 that I didn't get right! The experience that I have had though are things closer to home than I would have suspected. An unnamed parasite of the malarial type (from mosquitos, nearby wetlands) and scabies (twice in one year!) from cow manure gotten at a local dairy. While researching the scabies I came across the magellons sites. These tiny little creatures wreak havoc with your neurological system and after you are exposed more than once the symptoms ramp up until you feel as if you are losing your mind. I can really sympathize with those who have advanced reactions to scabies and esp the magellons.

On the other side there are folks who can even think of doing this on purpose...

How to cure your asthma or hayfever using hookworm - a practical guide || kuro5hin.org

[Michaelangelica]

and scabies (twice in one year!) from cow manure gotten at a local dairy.

What a gross frightening thread.

I have been collecting fresh cow manure from a local farm.

Never knew you could catch anything from it -yuck

 

The Herbalist & the Hippy

I once enrolled in a course in a herbalism conducted by an excellent herbalist. He was always very task centred so I used to try and distract him a bit and he would tell great stories about his patients.

One day grootty, long haired, spaced out hippy came to see him.:confused:

He had been felling very un-well since travels to Katmandu etc .

The herbalist thought he had Giardia picked up on his travels+ another fungal gut problem. So he prescribed the Hippy three drops of Tea Tree Oil three times a day and ushered him out as he was very busy that day.

 

Now all essential oils are anti-fungal but Tea Tree especially so. Probably comes from growing up in swamps. Like most essential oils it is very poisonous in large doses and nine drops a day is a massive dose.Equivalent to nine very large bunches of the whole herb.

 

Anyway after a couple of days the Hippy rang and said he 'din't know abo't this Tea tree oil' because it stung when he pissed and the place 'smelt like a f'rest'.

"So you are taking what I prescribed?" says the herbalist.

"O ye'r Three Tablespoons of Tea Tree Oil three times a day."

The shattered and shocked herbalist told him to stop the treatment at once- (as he should be dead)

The Hippy said "Good, I think its got rid of the giardia though'.

"I'm sure it has!" the herbalist croaked.

The Herbalist went off the make sure his professional Insurance-risk-policy was paid and up to date as the treatment could have cured more than Giardia.:)

[Michaelangelica]

euw, just looked up some links

This is my personal account of curing my asthma and hayfever by deliberately infesting myself with the intestinal parasite hookworm.

how??

[freeztar]

I am grateful to not know the 6 that I didn't get right! The experience that I have had though are things closer to home than I would have suspected. An unnamed parasite of the malarial type (from mosquitos, nearby wetlands) and scabies (twice in one year!) from cow manure gotten at a local dairy. While researching the scabies I came across the magellons sites. These tiny little creatures wreak havoc with your neurological system and after you are exposed more than once the symptoms ramp up until you feel as if you are losing your mind. I can really sympathize with those who have advanced reactions to scabies and esp the magellons.

On the other side there are folks who can even think of doing this on purpose...

How to cure your asthma or hayfever using hookworm - a practical guide || kuro5hin.org

 

Wow, what a great read! I couldn't imagine going to Cameroon to intentionally infect myself.

[REASON]

I know this is a bit off topic and I apologize, but does anyone have any good ideas about how to rid my dogs/yard/house of these pesky fleas? I despise these little parasitic bastards. I can pick 25 to 30 a night off my smaller dog and then he spends the day outside the next day and he sucks a bunch more up like a magnet.

 

Do they tend to live all over the yard, or is there a particular area that they prefer such as grass piles, dirt areas, etc that he's probably wandering into?

 

HELP! :confused:

 

Any good ideas would be appreciated.

[freeztar]

I know this is a bit off topic and I apologize, but does anyone have any good ideas about how to rid my dogs/yard/house of these pesky fleas? I despise these little parasitic bastards. I can pick 25 to 30 a night off my smaller dog and then he spends the day outside the next day and he sucks a bunch more up like a magnet.

l

Do they tend to live all over the yard, or is there a particular area that they prefer such as grass piles, dirt areas, etc that he's probably wandering into?

 

HELP! :confused:

 

Any good ideas would be appreciated.

 

Eggs are laid in batches of up to 20 or so, usually on the host itself, which easily roll onto the ground. As such, areas where the host rests and sleeps become one of the primary habitats of eggs and developing fleas. The eggs take around two days to two weeks to hatch[1].

 

Flea larvae emerge from the eggs to feed on any available organic material such as dead insects, feces and vegetable matter. They are blind and avoid sunlight, keeping to dark places like sand, cracks and crevices, and bedding.

Flea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

I don't recommend the following because it will nuke every insect, but I thought I should mention it:

Fleas,Outside Flea Control

 

Here are some more natural alternatives:

Flea Prevention

 

Good luck.

[palmtreepathos]

I have been collecting fresh cow manure from a local farm.

Never knew you could catch anything from it -yuck

 

I have gotten manure before w/o a problem and both of these instances were from one batch, a forty pound bag, scooped up "fresh" for me. ewww

At the first instance it took 4 days for it to start itching, I had worked with a new composter adding weeds, leaves and manure over a good part of the day. I did not tie the occurance to the manure 'til I used the last of the manure 6 month's later, the crazy itching woke me up that night and many nights there after. Any coincidence that I had been in contact with the manure both times? I think not!

I wondered if I would have to remove the 200 pounds of compost I had made, by dragging the composter with the truck out into the creek down the street. In fact, I told someone I may have to move now. :) We had a very hard freeze before spring and that proved to kill them off. That is one of the non-chemical treatments for them, but it tooks months before I was comfortable using the compost even after testing it on myself. But so far so good....

The Herbalist & the Hippy

.:)

Love the story and teatree oil is a favorite of mine....

 

about giardia I found this and would try it before conventional drugs, homeopathics have proven safe and work fast...

Traveler's Diarrhea (July 2004)

[Michaelangelica]

We are not the only ones that suffer from paracites.

Bee Expert: Insecticides, Climate, Malnutrition, Paracites And Microbes Collapsing Bee Colonies

ENN: Bee Expert: Insecticides, Climate, Malnutrition, Paracites And Microbes Collapsing Bee Colonies

* * *

When does a human parasite stop being a parasite and a symbiotic relationship happens?

[Michaelangelica]

To Fight Disease, Animals -- Like Plants -- Can Tolerate Parasites

 

ScienceDaily (Nov. 7, 2007) — Animals, like plants, can build tolerance to infections at a genetic level,

. . .

Researchers were also surprised to find that tolerance and resistance are negatively related. The mice can either kill parasites or tolerate them, but they cannot do both.]

To Fight Disease, Animals -- Like Plants -- Can Tolerate Parasites

[freeztar]

I wondered if I would have to remove the 200 pounds of compost I had made, by dragging the composter with the truck out into the creek down the street.

 

I'm hoping you are kidding, but in case not...

 

:):):):warped:

 

Please don't ever put compost (or pretty much anything) into natural bodies of water, or where it can be transported to natural bodies of water. Agriculture is one of the big reasons that so many of Georgia's streams (as well as other states') are listed as 303(d)/305(:) streams (fecal coliform and dissolved oxygen from nutrient loading). If you have any questions, don't hesitate to PM me. :)

 

As far as the scabies and manure goes, I would imagine there is not much of a link.

By direct, prolonged, skin-to-skin contact with a person already infested with scabies. Contact must be prolonged (a quick handshake or hug will usually not spread infestation). Infestation is easily spread to sexual partners and household members. Infestation may also occur by sharing clothing, towels, and bedding.

 

...

 

Once away from the human body, mites do not survive more than 48-72 hours. When living on a person, an adult female mite can live up to a month.

Division of Parasitic Diseases - Scabies Fact Sheet

 

So according to that, a manure sack that is left for 3 days should clear the bag of any scabies. So perhaps try to get it not so fresh. The only thing that makes sense in regards to manure is that the scabies are catching a ride from the cow and don't have time to die before finding their new host...you!

[freeztar]

We are not the only ones that suffer from paracites.

 

Indeed.

Fig Wasp

 

When does a human parasite stop being a parasite and a symbiotic relationship happens?

 

And from that link above...

Traditionally, medical writers have suggested that natural selection will lead to benign coexistence between parasite and host. That is, parasites that do not harm their hosts have the best chance of long term survival. When virulence occurs this is thought to be because the host and parasite have not been "togther" long. For example, in a new host of a disease-causing organism. But this ignores the fact that individual parasites are selected to propagate their own genes not to benefit their own species or the host. A high level of virulence may be the result of doing this, even in a long-established host-parasite system.

 

Much more info there...

[palmtreepathos]

Originally Posted by CDC

Once away from the human body, mites do not survive more than 48-72 hours

 

So "they" say.... there are things at work that defy the book knowledge we accumulate for ourselves. Of course my 'compost in the creek' remark made as much sense as moving from my home. At the time it made sense, to my poor deranged mind, thank goodness I thought clearer as time passed. :evil:

 

I found 12 rattailed maggots in the bottom of a bucket of comfrey tea a couple weeks back,(they are creamy white 3/4 inch long larva with 3 inch long tails that act like little worms)... so bizarre as to give you the creeps, then I fed them to the fish. :snow:

 

I finally have a camera, let's see if I can document a few things around here. Have not been a camera buff in a long while, have patience. :evil:

[freeztar]

Parasites may affect breeding habits in amphibians

University of Georgia: News & Information

 

Athens, Ga. – Parasites can decimate amphibian populations, but one University of Georgia researcher believes they might also play a role in spurring the evolution of new and sometimes bizarre breeding strategies.

 

Brian Todd, a researcher at the UGA Odum School of Ecology Savannah River Ecology Lab, explains that most amphibians start their lives in water (tadpoles are a good example), and then make their way onto land as adults and return to the water to breed. But there are other breeding strategies as well. Take, for instance, the Darwin’s frog, the species that swallows its eggs and, a few weeks later, regurgitates its young. Or the marsupial frog, a species that carries its eggs on its back until they hatch. Several species lay eggs in small puddles on land or high up in trees where they hatch as miniature versions of adults, bypassing the larval stage entirely.

 

Is it just Amphibians though?

[Turtle]

... What are your experiences/thoughts about parasites? Do you know of some particularly interesting examples? What can we do to better protect ourselves from these fiends?

 

Fiends!? Or friends? Maybe, just maybe, parasitic retroviruses account for a part of human evolution. Or maybe not. :shrug: Nonetheless, this report asserts it is so. ;) :phones:

 

... Scientists had long wondered how genes such as p53 built their powerful empire over other genes. A new study detailed this week in the online edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences implicates the ancient retroviruses as the force behind p53's rise to power.

 

Repetitive DNA

 

Scientists at the University of California, Santa Cruz, analyzed and compared genetic data from different species and found that certain retroviruses entered the genome about 40 million years ago and spread rapidly in primates about 25 million years ago. ...

 

What's in Your Genes? Ancient Parasites | LiveScience

[freeztar]

Malarial parasites lend a clue to understanding malarial symptoms and possibly a treatment.

 

NIAID Media Availability: Study of Malaria Parasites in Human Blood Samples Reveals New Parasitic States

 

Although malaria parasites have undergone extensive laboratory study, relatively little is known about how they behave in humans to cause disease. Newly published data from a study of malaria-infected human blood reveal two biological states of the parasite Plasmodium falciparum not observed under laboratory conditions. This information may help scientists develop new strategies for treating malaria.