2y ago

Worm that jumps from rats to slugs to human brains has invaded Southeast US

arstechnica.com

Multiple rats in Atlanta test positive for calamitous, rapidly spreading parasite.

21 comments

It’s been problematic here in Hawaii for some time. I personally know multiple people who have had bad cases, including my goddaughter who spent the majority of the second year of her life in the hospital because of it. Do not take rat lungworm lightly. Wash leafy greens well before eating, and keep infants from situations where they could come into contact with slugs and snails.
- I feel for your god daughter.
Damn is this another climate is too hot so all the diseases are spreading thing?
- Nah, this is global capitalism blindly moving goods across the planet as quickly and cheaply as possible so all the diseases are spreading thing.
  
  Looks like both are suspected:
  "But, with climate change and the human-facilitated spread of rats and other hosts..."
  
  Yet we have global security theatre in airports that will fine you and seize stuff to prevent diseases being spread
- Just wait until fungus evolves to be perfectly fine living at 98.6°F
  
  just wait 'till the Zombie Fungus jumps into humans...
  *fuck. I just read the article and... :
  Medicinal potential
  Ophiocordyceps are known in the pharmaceutical world to be a medically-important group.[7] O. unilateralis fungi produce various known secondary metabolites, as well as several structurally uncharacterised substances. These natural products are reportedly being investigated as potential leads in discovery efforts toward immunomodulatory, antitumor, hypoglycemic, and hypocholesterolemic targets.[24]
  In an Ophiocordyceps species within Japanese cicadas, the Ophiocordyceps replaces the symbiotic bacteria within the cicadas to help the host process sap as nutrients, unlike other related species, such as the Ophiocordyceps sinensis, which is a traditional immune booster and cancer treatment in Tibetan and Chinese culture.[25]
  And here I thought releasing the cannibal ants was a bad idea...
  
  Oh they're here, there's plenty of fungus that can live inside us.
  They've been here a long time though, fungi are aaaaadaptable.
Literal brainworms. Someone test our GOP members of Congress.
Great. Just when I thought conservatives couldn't possibly get any fucking dumber, now they're getting brain worms.
The more I see news from america the less I'm surprised
That place has turned into so much off a hellhole that even the animals are following suit
- This comment has major "God sends hurricanes to punish the gays" vibes
  
  Or..."ignoring or denying a changing climate has consequences like more fires, more floods, and invasive or dangerous species moving into areas they haven't previously thrived" vibes.
Is that what their problem is down there? Their brains are being eaten? That would explain a lot
It jumps?!?!
- Jumps as in transmits from body to body.
Can we just like... step on it? Seems like a big fuss for one little worm

21 comments