parasites
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A Deadly Brain-Invading Worm Is Disturbingly Widespread In Florida
Scientists in Florida have found traces of rat lungworm in five counties, bolstering the idea that this potentially fatal parasite may be expanding its geographical range on account of — you guessed it — climate change.
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Bloodthirsty Ticks Have A Seriously Weird Genome
Ticks — those unbreakable, blood-lusting arthropods that haunt your childhood memories — have some fascinating genetic secrets. The tick genome tells a tale of weaponised spit, expandable armour and how to drink 100 times one’s body weight in blood. Strangest of all, it’s utterly enormous.
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How Did A Rare, Vomit-Inducing Parasite Infect The Water Supply For 300,000 People?
More than 300,000 households in Lancashire, England have been warned to boil their water recently to kill any traces of Cryptosporidium, the BBC reports. The nasty livestock parasite, which surfaced last week, probably came from a rotting animal carcass or faeces, according to The Guardian. Lovely.
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How A Cat Poop Parasite Could Help Scientists Beat Cancer
This week, a team of researchers at Dartmouth announced an exciting, if terribly disgusting, medical discovery. A single-celled parasite usually found in cats’ intestines — and later in their poop — shows unique promise as a cancer treatment. The researchers even think the parasite could enable them to create personalised cancer vaccines.