Your Questions About Intestinal Parasites Human

Steven asks…

Dog licking human mouth: are there intestinal parasites for ex,they can tolerate & we can’t when passed on?

Ellen answers:

There could be, depending on what they ate. Viruses I would say no, because most are host-specific.

Sandra asks…

Ivermectin is a drug given to treat intestinal parasites in animals and humans, and is a known GABA inhibitor.?

Explain how it will kill worms but be safe for human use?

Ellen answers:

Ivermectin’s specificity against invertebrate parasites relates to its mechanism of action.

It kills by interfering with nervous system function, targeting a specific essential cell membrane channel (a Glutamate gated chloride channel). This channel is present in such parasites and absent in mammals.

Mandy asks…

Have you heard of an intestinal parasite in human causing hospitalization?

I’m trying to put my (and others) mind at ease a bit. I have relatives that have taken a vacation down to Mexico and one of them has ended up in the hospital after having sever cramping in his abdomen and passing blood in his stool. (Sorry if it’s TMI).

They suspect he has intestinal parasite and an infection from what we understand. We are limited to the knowledge his wife is receiving because of the language barrier (limited # of people speaking English) and also because his wife is not able to spend a lot of time at the hospital since it’s a 40 minute ride in a vehicle (longer in bus which she has to take) and because she has to still care for their children while down there. He’s now been in there for over 24 hours on antibiotics and an IV and as of last night still had quite severe of abdominal pain.

Although I realize this isn’t very common to having a parasite, is it somewhat normal? Has anyone else been in this situation, or know of someone who has? And, how did it turn out?

Thanks so much in advance!!

Ellen answers:

If it is indeed a parasite, antibiotics will do.

George asks…

Doc’s Opinion Plz: Is food grade diatomaceous earth safe for human consumption?

…I’m 16 and my Mom won’t let me buy it, nevertheless use it to treat my intestinal parasites unless i have approval from medical professionals (which is hard to prove on the internet anyway but it’s my last shot). i’ve read that it’s FDA approved and it eliminates pests and animal parasites, but I just wanted to be sure it has no potential long-term or short-term side effects or safety issues (like is accidental inhalation dangerous) and if it’s effective for treating human intestinal parasites. Also, what’s the recommended daily/weekly dosage and for how long? does it kill the eggs as well? and where can you buy it in australia? also testimonials would be helpful. Sorry for the avalanche of questions :S
i should probably rely on a local doctor and not yahoo answers… but im on vacation…
P.S., if you excrete the worms after using DE, are they dead???

Ellen answers:

It is not FDA-approved. Inhalation is dangerous.

That being said, people do use it on animals to eliminate parasites. It is not recommended for people to use on themselves without a doctor’s supervision (and then you will know the dosage).

It is pretty much chemically inert. Silica is basically glass. The form in which it occurs, though, is unique, thanks to the work of the diatoms who left their shells behind. Apparently they chew into the parasites’ coverings.

People are not livestock. Our lives are very much longer, so we need to know what the long-term effects are, if possible.

There are testimonials all over the internet, because you can get testimonials on any website that is selling this stuff. Ask your doctor!

Robert asks…

Could being underweight mean you have instestinal parasites and should i buy this product?

http://cgi.ebay.com/PARASITIN-Cleanse-Intestinal-Parasites-TapeWorms_W0QQitemZ140344789647QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item20ad338a8f&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

http://americanutra.com/body-infestation-human-instestinal-parasites/