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  • Parasites have a nasty reputation - but is really fair to fear these little guys? Well,

  • yes - and if you don't think so, here's why these terrifying creatures are worth avoiding

  • at all costs!

  • As if you need another reason to hate mosquitoes - when they bite humans they can leave larvae

  • of the parasitic Filarial Worm. These worms live and grow in our bodies, sometimes taking

  • years to mature into full adults, leaving only inconspicuous rashes and sores. Years

  • later, they work together to block the vessels of your lymphatic system, creating a build-up

  • of fluid and leading to diseases like elephantiasis. This is one of the leading causes of disability

  • in the world.

  • Another worm worth hating is the pinworm. Pinworm eggs are often eaten because of contaminated

  • or dirty hands. The eggs hatch and mature in your gut, at which point the adult female

  • exits the anus to lay a new batch of eggs on the surrounding skin. Your butthole becomes

  • a nest! This causes intense itching, often leading to re-contaminated hands or fingernails,

  • which can end up in your mouth again, restarting the cycle. Feel like scratching your bum?

  • Do yourself a favour and wash those hands and fingernails!

  • On the other side of the body, live the lovely pubic lice - sometimes called 'crabs'. Though

  • it's not uncommon to find these buggers in your eyebrows, beard or even eyelashes. The

  • itching is from an allergic reaction to their saliva, and it'll take treatment with medication

  • or shaving it all off to get rid of them. Of course, abstinence or no sex works well

  • as a preventative measure, along with not sharing your undies with other people.

  • Some parasites are meant for marine animals, but end up in humans out of the goodness of

  • our...gut? The Anisakis Nematode infects humans after eating raw or undercooked fish - like

  • sushi - which contains the larvae. The worms penetrate our gut wall and cause abdominal

  • pain, nausea and even vomiting. But, nobody really wins this one, as the nematode can't

  • mature in a human gut and eventually dies.

  • The Tongue Biter is another marine parasite. This tongue eating louse finds a suitable

  • fish and chews off it's tongue, only to cling on to the stub in it's place. Here they stay

  • feeding on the fishes blood, all the while mating and dispersing their progeny into the

  • ocean.

  • And finally, the wonderful cordyceps which are fungi known for creating zombie ants.

  • The fungus takes over the ants body and mind, making it leave the colony and begin climbing

  • upward to a more ideal temperature and humidity. The ant then bites onto a stem or leaf and

  • gets locked into position until it dies. At which point, the fungus bursts through the

  • ants head and spreads outward.

  • Could such a parasite ever affect humans? For everyone's sake, we hope not!

  • Our friends at James Cook University helped us put this horrifying list of parasites together,

  • with special help from parasitologist Dr Kate Hutson. JCU is one of the world's leading

  • institutions focusing on the tropics with an opportunity to study in a diverse physical

  • environment unparalleled by any university in the world. I actually studied there for

  • a semester abroad! If you want to learn more, be sure to head over to their website jcu.edu.au

  • - link in the description! You can check out the amazing Dr Kate Hutson as well at marineparasites.com.

  • And subscribe for more weekly science videos!

Parasites have a nasty reputation - but is really fair to fear these little guys? Well,

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