• pageflight@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        11
        ·
        1 month ago

        Beth Mole, a writer at Ars Technica, has a fun example with Rat Lungworm: Burning in woman’s legs turned out to be slug parasites migrating to her brain.

        It started with a bizarre burning sensation in her feet. Over the next two days, the searing pain crept up her legs. Any light touch made it worse, and over-the-counter pain medicine offered no relief.

        and so on until it’s diagnosed, then some lifecycle/vector explanation:

        For instance, if a slug or snail traverses a leaf of lettuce, leaving a slime trail in its wake, the leaf can be contaminated with the larvae.

      • Lemminary@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        edit-2
        1 month ago

        Yup, you’re especially at risk from liver worms from things like watercress and other usual parasites when animals defecate over crops, or from farmers using egg-infested water. Always wash and disinfect.