Comments on: The Parasite’s Fountain of Youth http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/25/the-parasites-fountain-of-youth/ A science salon hosted by National Geographic Magazine Wed, 22 May 2013 23:15:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.2-alpha By: Amy A http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/25/the-parasites-fountain-of-youth/#comment-42771 Amy A Mon, 11 Mar 2013 17:21:49 +0000 http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152603#comment-42771 I’m one of those science nerds that loves a good parasite story. So I really enjoyed this, thanks! I just wanted to point out that for most of the 200 million people living with schistosomiasis, there is a cheap (a lot of which donated) and effective treatment available. Getting the drug to the people in Africa, Latin America and Asia that are suffering is the hard part… and one of the goals of END7. Check out http://www.END7.org to learn more.

]]> By: Mememe http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/25/the-parasites-fountain-of-youth/#comment-41910 Mememe Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:51:55 +0000 http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152603#comment-41910 So did they cure the guy?

]]> By: Norbrook http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/25/the-parasites-fountain-of-youth/#comment-41791 Norbrook Sun, 03 Mar 2013 12:54:18 +0000 http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152603#comment-41791 Excellent article, but I have to point out an omission. You forgot the other major human schistosome, S. japonicum which is the predominant problem in Asia. It wouldn’t be “unusual” for someone from Australia to have picked it up if they’d visited some of the southeast Asian countries.

]]> By: Mike D http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/25/the-parasites-fountain-of-youth/#comment-41438 Mike D Thu, 28 Feb 2013 21:05:38 +0000 http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152603#comment-41438 Thanks for the article. I am now convinced that I have liver fluke worms. No, I’ve never been to Africa, but I’m sure that won’t stop me from believing it to be so.

I have GOT to stop reading your blog. So says my doctor.

]]> By: Nia http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/25/the-parasites-fountain-of-youth/#comment-41382 Nia Thu, 28 Feb 2013 04:58:39 +0000 http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152603#comment-41382 lizards that regenerate limbs have been successfully used to regenerate human finger tips – this is a great field

]]> By: KmC http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/25/the-parasites-fountain-of-youth/#comment-41293 KmC Wed, 27 Feb 2013 04:00:43 +0000 http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152603#comment-41293 Hmm…planarians are found in freshwater systems, in the same neighborhood as flatworm host snails, that are also found among crayfish that can also regenerate lost limbs, and likely feast on planarians….and ….

]]> By: Lena http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/25/the-parasites-fountain-of-youth/#comment-41265 Lena Tue, 26 Feb 2013 18:45:07 +0000 http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152603#comment-41265 Thank you for the article. I have a question: so, is that man from Australia all right now? Are there any symptoms besides being awfully tired?

[CZ: The doctors who treated him published a paper on his case and said that he was successfully treated. As I mentioned in the post, he also suffered liver damage. Other possible symptoms include damage to spleen and kidneys, depending on the species you get. More information here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002298/ ]

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