Hmm. That would come with the more frightening risk of HN community scrutiny, a sort of indelible scabies of the retrospective consciousness. What the hell..
If you're 5, or any age with a palate for insects, especially centipedes [1], cook them first or consider sugar free gummy worms until mom can prepare them properly.
More seriously, it depends largely on behavior, ie personal hygiene, industrial standards, awareness, etc. Some factors are potentially impossible to control, such as invasive species or other environmental factors.
There are older reports similar to [1] where children initiated the infection (of lungworm and other deleterious parasites) by consuming insects, and in some cases spread them to adults. There are many cases of vegetables infecting people too, eg lungworm in Hawaii [2]. Also many other species in man..most other countries.
In one study I read, a large and eclectic sample of vegetables and fruits from scattered European countries showed a high prevalence of infectious parasites in a significant percentage of the batch. Similar studies showed similar and worse elsewhere. One particularly interesting study found a vegetable farm which was frequently down wind of a kennel housing a large number of x (I've forgotten the animal type). The crop was riddled with wind-disseminated infectious parasites -- I forget the type, but it was nasty and somewhat impervious to the elements.
Invasive species, interference with wildlife, development, animal agriculture proximal to veg ag, climate and much more is involved. For anyone who realizes it as a formidable danger, I think the risk is smaller. For most, it's probably not large, but growing and, I personally believe, an insidious factor behind some misdiagnosed conditions.
Parasites are everywhere, with most posing minimal risk. Pinworms, for example, infect a surprising portion of the mighty and developed US population, which is why you can find pinworm medicine on the shelves of any pharmacy. They often go unnoticed, but in some, cause severe itching and further complications if untreated over many years. Children are common carriers and the eggs can be spread on/via dust particles that enter the nose, and by the very fingers that scratch the itch. Thankfully, a single dose of parantel pamoate and a thorough housecleaning usually eradicates the problem.
If you do vist Florida, which has been ill-advised by my HN editor[3], watch what you eat raw. Raw panther would be a great way to get trichinosis, with +20% of them carrying it. Wild hogs too, which is often where the panthers get it. Whether in Florida or Florence, raw foods pose risk, which sucks because they can also be the healthiest.
Indoor/outdoor pets are a difficult situation too. There are more and less serious threats here. I remember finding my best friend with little grains of rice crawling all over his arse. They are a form of tapeworm where fleas are the vector. Oddly, I could have eaten one if I so chose and have remained unaffected. However, if I'd eaten an infected flea, I'd be infected. The progottids of that particular species generally need to be ingested while inside the flea for it to settle in a new host.
Edit: If the cat had laid in or passed over infected raccoon droppings, things could be much worse (think baylisascaris p). The mentioned tapeworms were easily eradicated with a single dose. Nothing works well on the former.
Most American health professionals will dismiss the risk of parasites as trivial, if that is any consolation. But if you prefer to pursue your concern, there is much to read and learn, from entertaining videos of people examining live worms in their restaurant sushi or wriggling through the salmon at Costco, to hard scientific studies and case reports of human and animal infections of many varieties everywhere in the world.
If I've failed to ELI5 or convoluted the subject, it's because it's a huge subject and I'm a mnemonically challenged dilettante with one finger to communicate with today. My advice is to not panic, don't develop complexes, and instead, be aware and learn and apply what you learn practically. And to be extra safe, avoid Florida -- it's getting crowded anyway.
Thanks so much for the excellent comments. You seem familiar with the topic, so a question:
How do you convince a doctor to actually check for parasites?
Two years ago I was bitten by many, many triatomines in a subtropical environment and have recently been seeing symptoms similar to chagas disease, but no doctor I've spoken to is interested in testing for it. I understand it's not an everyday concern, buy the resistance to even try surprises me.
>How do you convince a doctor to actually check for parasites?
Scopolamine and a cattle prod? Actually, if you travelled internationally, it shouldn't take more than a polite request.
I sincerely hope your fears are in vain. I know very little of chagas disease, but it seems early treatment is the most effective treatment. If you have it, you've wasted precious time.
Hindsight would have you plowing through such resistance and demanding the desired tests as you deserve. Perhaps you were too timid. This is slightly odd, with international travel being about the only thing that would have most American doctors considering parasites.
But it's two years after the fact. If I were in such a position, I would resolve to allay my fears and wrest a sure conclusion from the medical bureaucracy. I would take notes of all my symptoms, a chronology of progression, and also adequately inform and prepare myself to hold a compelling dialog with the doctor. Screw their interest. You are the patient and they have responsibilities beyond hurling pills at rote and familiar illnesses. If you test positive, then you may have lawsuit material. If you don't, it may be time to explore other causes or solutions to what ails you, and crucially, you'll have peace of mind about that specific fear. So if you are truly concerned, go demand a test.
I've been researching triatomines and am learning a bit, most of which is not pleasant. I now realize I've seen and even photographed some species. They are in the US, certainly Florida, Texas and many other states. According to an edu source, it's estimated that only 1% of infections in the US are diagnosed or otherwise accounted for.
There's definitely ample credible evidence that the risk is significant and your concerns valid.
I thank you for reminding me of this insect and the protozoa it carries. Credible sources claim it too will be posing problems, increasingly. Current policy, unfortunately, isn't considering it yet. The rising presence of the problem coupled with the tendency for initially asymptomatic infections but often inevitable demise of the host should be taken seriously.
Hmm. That would come with the more frightening risk of HN community scrutiny, a sort of indelible scabies of the retrospective consciousness. What the hell..
If you're 5, or any age with a palate for insects, especially centipedes [1], cook them first or consider sugar free gummy worms until mom can prepare them properly.
More seriously, it depends largely on behavior, ie personal hygiene, industrial standards, awareness, etc. Some factors are potentially impossible to control, such as invasive species or other environmental factors.
There are older reports similar to [1] where children initiated the infection (of lungworm and other deleterious parasites) by consuming insects, and in some cases spread them to adults. There are many cases of vegetables infecting people too, eg lungworm in Hawaii [2]. Also many other species in man..most other countries.
In one study I read, a large and eclectic sample of vegetables and fruits from scattered European countries showed a high prevalence of infectious parasites in a significant percentage of the batch. Similar studies showed similar and worse elsewhere. One particularly interesting study found a vegetable farm which was frequently down wind of a kennel housing a large number of x (I've forgotten the animal type). The crop was riddled with wind-disseminated infectious parasites -- I forget the type, but it was nasty and somewhat impervious to the elements.
Invasive species, interference with wildlife, development, animal agriculture proximal to veg ag, climate and much more is involved. For anyone who realizes it as a formidable danger, I think the risk is smaller. For most, it's probably not large, but growing and, I personally believe, an insidious factor behind some misdiagnosed conditions.
Parasites are everywhere, with most posing minimal risk. Pinworms, for example, infect a surprising portion of the mighty and developed US population, which is why you can find pinworm medicine on the shelves of any pharmacy. They often go unnoticed, but in some, cause severe itching and further complications if untreated over many years. Children are common carriers and the eggs can be spread on/via dust particles that enter the nose, and by the very fingers that scratch the itch. Thankfully, a single dose of parantel pamoate and a thorough housecleaning usually eradicates the problem.
If you do vist Florida, which has been ill-advised by my HN editor[3], watch what you eat raw. Raw panther would be a great way to get trichinosis, with +20% of them carrying it. Wild hogs too, which is often where the panthers get it. Whether in Florida or Florence, raw foods pose risk, which sucks because they can also be the healthiest.
Indoor/outdoor pets are a difficult situation too. There are more and less serious threats here. I remember finding my best friend with little grains of rice crawling all over his arse. They are a form of tapeworm where fleas are the vector. Oddly, I could have eaten one if I so chose and have remained unaffected. However, if I'd eaten an infected flea, I'd be infected. The progottids of that particular species generally need to be ingested while inside the flea for it to settle in a new host. Edit: If the cat had laid in or passed over infected raccoon droppings, things could be much worse (think baylisascaris p). The mentioned tapeworms were easily eradicated with a single dose. Nothing works well on the former.
Most American health professionals will dismiss the risk of parasites as trivial, if that is any consolation. But if you prefer to pursue your concern, there is much to read and learn, from entertaining videos of people examining live worms in their restaurant sushi or wriggling through the salmon at Costco, to hard scientific studies and case reports of human and animal infections of many varieties everywhere in the world.
If I've failed to ELI5 or convoluted the subject, it's because it's a huge subject and I'm a mnemonically challenged dilettante with one finger to communicate with today. My advice is to not panic, don't develop complexes, and instead, be aware and learn and apply what you learn practically. And to be extra safe, avoid Florida -- it's getting crowded anyway.
1. https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/centipedes-can...
2. https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/disease_listing/rat-lungworm-...
3. Thanks to all for the feedback, attempted defense from it, and the editing. Sometimes I'm very fond of the folks on HN.