Re: Identifying a fluke

ok... lets talk.

I take great exception to your statement regarding trematodes...

the fact that the U.S. in somehow miraculously immune or completely devoid of parasites is an unfortunate but common misnomer.

In FACT:

(nematodes)
Stongyloides is indigenous to the south east US region, specifically to the Appalachia.

Hookworm was at one time quite prevalent in all of the southern US.

pin worms are STILL common place among young children and have been known to cause fatalities.

Liver fluke infestation has reached epidemic proportions as well, particularly in Florida among live stock population involved in HUMAN consumption.

The specific parasite you refer to is probably schistosomiasis, which tends to be a bit more "exotic" but nonetheless elusive in diagnosis. Infection occurs by merely swimming in infected waters: think "local watering hole" rather than raw sewage. One occurs in north africa and resides in the bladder, one in various parts of south africa and last in asia, both intestinal. Diagnosis typically depends on fecal egg count which varies according to life cycle and other variables but typically the eggs actually encyst in the vessels or tissues sorrounding the organs they infect, promoting inflammatory response rather than pouring out of the most conveniently located os. Treatment for this parasite, as with many is enormously variable depending on specific species, dosages, body weight and other unknown voodoo magic the remains as of yet undiscovered and largely UNSUCCESSFUL.

Tapes are pretty common as well, in various forms and again endemic in NW US all the way into canada (echinocochous). while the pork is predominantly restricted to the southern US or in regions of heavy immigrations patterns from indigenous areas, such as Mexico.

Anyway, the bottom line is so many people would not be so ill and remain undiagnosed if so easy to detect or treat parasitic infection... particularly via fecal exam which is notoriously inaccurate (google it) Newer tests depend on the technology of serological antibody test which may still be actually inaccurate depending on the patients immune status, and term or severity of infection (anergy).


parasites are UBIQUITOUS.

here long before us and long after.

just a thought.

cheers! Tweet