Textbook quotes by mizmac Blog entry

Blog: Getting the parasites out
by mizmac

Textbook quotes

Quotes on nematode behavior, identification, life cycles and treatment.

Date: 12/26/2015 1:18:53 PM ( 9 y ) ... viewed 1103 times

I am reading a medical microbiology text book. Some quotes that have really resonated with me are:
"Of the species of nematodes that are parasitic for humans, about half reside as adult worms in the intestinal tract; the other species are found as adults in various human tissues. The pathogenicity of intestinal nematodes may be due, in part, to migration of adults or larvae through human tissues such as liver or lungs, piercing of the intestinal wall, bloodsucking activities of adult worms, or allergic reactions to substances secreted or excreted by either adult worms or larval stages. This can be serious in heavy infections. Pathogenicity induced by the tissue-dwelling adult roundworms primarily results from immune and non-specific host responses to the parasite secretions and excretions and to degenerating parasite material. Migrating nematodes are usually associated with blood or tissue eosinophilia. Most infected persons have low worm burdens and modest symptoms."
This verifies my beliefs in my leaky gut symptoms and the allergic responses I am having, especially to sugar. It appears that I am having almost a hyper-response to sugar. It creates debilitating inflammation.
Here's some facts about roundworms (nematodes). "Migrating adults (22 to 35 cm long) may exit by the nose, mouth or anus. They are large, creamy and white and have a cone-shaped tapered anterior; the male has a curved tail." And the number one treatment listed is mebendazole or pyrantel pamoate."
"Adults are active migrators when provoked by fever, certain drugs, and anesthesia and they may tangle and block the intestine or appendix. Mortality mainly results from intestinal complications in heavy infections. The adult female lays up to 250,000 eggs PER DAY. Eggs may remain infective in soil or water for years; they are resistant to chemicals."
On treatment: "The objective of a treatment program should be to stop the parasite's growth, reproduction, and transmission; kill parasites without inducing a harmful host response; and expel parasites from the host. Finding those drugs that are selective for parasitic metabolic systems without adversely affecting human systems has been difficult. Not surprisingly, many drugs are toxic, especially the ones that affect energy metabolism. A variety of drugs currently in use are know carcinogens or teratogens." "Two important drugs, albendazole and mebendazole, are known to disrupt a cytoskeletal protein called B-tubulin, which leads to reduced absorption of nutrients such as glucose. Parasites are forced to use glycogen stores for energy and eventually die due to the lack of ATP when glucose is no longer available".
"To survive, parasites must react to conditions in their environment, including the pressure exerted by chemotherapeutic agents. Drug resistance develops when pathogenic organisms are able to do the following: 1. Metabolize the drug to an inactive form 2. Alter their permeability to the drug, 3 Use a metabolic pathway not affected by the drug, 4 Increase enzyme production to overcome the level of the drug being administered and 5 Change the drug's binding site target on or inside of the organism."
Now I know why many say that you need to change up your treatments. The buggers adapt. More research obviously needed before I take the mebendazole. Is it one that is carcinogenic or teratogenic?

Not a lot of parasites coming out but today, the size of one was frightening. About an inch long and half as wide. I did the frozen cod liver oil treatment yesterday. Still produces results every time. I did it again today. There have to be a lot of babies when you find such a big one and what I found appeared to be a piece of a much larger one. I could see an egg in it. My body is telling me that I have one more nest inside or a very large worm. It feels like a lot of activity in the lower intestine at night.
The textbook is not very helpful at identifying what I have. Apparently the standard method of identification is through eggs. There are only a couple of photos of actual parasites and they are of roundworms. I may try to read the symptoms to see if I can decipher them that way. My daughter suggested that I should find a lab book for tropical diseases since I think that I picked up most of what I have in Belize.
I have been looking at blood tests for eosinophils. It appears to be a way to diagnose parasites. I wonder why it's not commonly used?