My vote for the most f****d up parasitic disease

[Binarycow]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/04/06/guinea.worm.eradication/index.html?hpt=Sbin

I ran across this CNN article today and it has to be the most f****d up up parasitic disease out there. Couldn't believe it, thought it was a hoax till I googled it. WTH, you pull that thing out of your body a few cm a day and it may take weeks to pull it completely out?

WTH????

 

[Hyperlite]

not clicking kthx

 

[JTsyo]

The Guinea worm's last stronghold is in conflict-marred southern Sudan, a region of 9 million people where about 85 percent of the world's 3,000 remaining cases of the disease are found.

I think we need to send in our troops and protect this endangered specie. Won't anyone think of the worms?

 

[Anonemous]

We need a biological controversy on this stat!

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

Yeah, there are some pretty strange diseases out there.

 

[amdhunter]

I like to give my guinea worm to the ladies.:awe:

 

[Noobtastic]

The real disease are the Arab Islamists exterminating the Dinkas and their black muslim supporters.

oh well...guess as long as muslims control oil, south sudan will continue to be a victim of arab supremacism.

My friend visited the region as part of the peace corps. Total shithole, people starving, disease, systematic rapes...awful.

 

[lxskllr]

That doesn't register very high on my WTF meter. Seems fairly standard as far as parasites go. What's that worm called that swims up your pecker when you're in the water?

 

[Gibsons]

I don't think that's as WTF-ish as genital elephantitis.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

I think we need to send in our troops and protect this endangered specie. Won't anyone think of the worms?

The singular form of "species" is "species."

/grammar nazi

 

[UberNeuman]

Not as bad as the link posted a awhile back with a dude with live maggots living in his nasal cavity.....

 

[Binarycow]

my question is, how come all articles make it sound like it's only painful (burning sensation) when that thing emerges from the blister? what about when it eats through the intestine wall then body tissues on its way out?

What the hell happens if you pull too hard on it and rip it into 2 halves? what would happen to the half that's till in body?

So many WTHs, so many questions. One thing for sure I'm now really paranoid about drinking any water. When was the last time something like this was recorded in the U.S.?

 

[lxskllr]

When was the last time something like this was recorded in the U.S.?

I'm guessing never. You can probably get tapeworms, or river flukes, but I doubt they're as bad as that.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

That doesn't register very high on my WTF meter. Seems fairly standard as far as parasites go. What's that worm called that swims up your pecker when you're in the water?

It's not a worm, it's a catfish.

 

[lxskllr]

It's not a worm, it's a catfish.

:^(

The facts aren't nearly as interesting as the reputation.

Edit:
there's still our old friend, the botfly :^D

http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/botfly2.html

 

[vshah]

this one sucks...

[SIZE=-1] There are some parasites, such as pinworms, who depend on people eating their own poop to keep the population up. Pinworms are small nematodes that live in the colon. The females emerge from the anus at night to lay their eggs. Their activity makes the anal area itch. The person scratches the itch (often doing so in his sleep), procuring a small amount of fecal matter and eggs under his fingernails, and then puts his fingers in his mouth. Once the eggs are consumed, the person is infected with a new generation of pinworms.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] I have read that almost everyone has pinworms. Luckily, pinworms don't do much harm. You only notice them if you have a lot of pinworms! If you want to find out if you do indeed have them, get someone to gently touch around your anal area with Scotch tape while you are sleeping. The worms will stick to the tape and you'll be able to see them.[/SIZE]

 

[Binarycow]

:^(

The facts aren't nearly as interesting as the reputation.

Edit:
there's still our old friend, the botfly :^D

http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/botfly2.html

OK, first that worm thing and now this botfly. I'm gonna quit the internet for a while till my stomach becomes a bit more calmed down.

Fly extracted from the eye? WTH!

 

[Binarycow]

this one sucks...

People scratch their asses while sleeping and lick their fingers afterwards (presumingly during sleep also)? OK, I'm gonna ask my wife to tied me/my hands up tonight, this parasite stuff has gotten way too freaky for me.

 

[silverpig]

People scratch their asses while sleeping and lick their fingers afterwards (presumingly during sleep also)? OK, I'm gonna ask my wife to tied me/my hands up tonight, this parasite stuff has gotten way too freaky for me.

Ever wake up with a bit of a nutty taste on your lips?

 

[TehMac]

this one sucks...

lol...sounds like 4Chan invented a parasite.

 

[tcsenter]

People scratch their asses while sleeping and lick their fingers afterwards (presumingly during sleep also)?

lol I think its more like they put their fingers in their mouth at some later point, or put their fingers on things that will go into their or someone else's mouth (e.g. food), not that they lick their fingers immediately after scratching their bung. Because the eggs are under the nails, a quick hand-washing or shower may not be sufficient, so the eggs may persist there for several hours.

Guinea worm is pretty tame as far as horrid parasitic diseases go. Look through through the infectious and parasitic disease section of a medical text some time.

 

[vshah]

People scratch their asses while sleeping and lick their fingers afterwards (presumingly during sleep also)? OK, I'm gonna ask my wife to tied me/my hands up tonight, this parasite stuff has gotten way too freaky for me.

i think its not so much lick your fingers in your sleep, just you wake up and eat a bagel or some shit :awe:. i know i don't wash my hands right when i wake up...

 

[MAKENITO]

Oh gawd. Why did I read this thread?!

I clicked on the link.. but couldnt bring myself to watch the vid.

 

[Kev]

why is every article I read on CNN a rambling mess?

 

[SandEagle]

The real disease are the Arab Islamists exterminating the Dinkas and their black muslim supporters.

oh well...guess as long as muslims control oil, south sudan will continue to be a victim of arab supremacism.

My friend visited the region as part of the peace corps. Total shithole, people starving, disease, systematic rapes...awful.

hahaha. nice try u lying bastard. how convenient that u happen to have a friend there. oh, it helps push your anti-islam/arab rants. go back to P&N loser