The Parasite Chronicles : My Lifelong Odyssey Among the Parasites That Cause Human Disease

This book introduces the reader to the fascinating world of parasites that cause human disease. It is written in a first-person style relating anecdotes and personal encounters of parasites by the author. It tells stories about exotic parasites diseases, interesting factoids about the life history of unusual parasites species, and strange ways in which humans can become infected. However this is also a serious topic, as there is increasing movement of populations and goods occurring in a globalized world, resulting in previously exotic parasites being brought into new regions of the world. This book about parasite infections will be of interest to business travelers and tourists alike, and the book discusses simple common sense ways to avoid them. Foreword by B. Kim Lee Sim 7 Foreword by Stephen L. Hoffman 9 Preface 11 Acknowledgements 13 Contents 15 About the Author 16 Chapter 1: Parasites and Tiger Snakes 17 Chapter 2: Tapeworms Down Under and Elsewhere 26 Chapter 3: Cysticercosis: The Ides of March 35 Chapter 4: Trematodes: It Was Just a Fluke 49 Chapter 5: Schistosomiasis: Napoleon, Snails and Stalemate Across the Taiwan Straits 64 Chapter 6: Filariasis and Elephantiasis: You Can ́t Go Home Again 74 Chapter 7: River Blindness: And It Was About Time 88 Chapter 8: Intestinal Worms: Parasite Mysteries in Wintry Climes 101 Chapter 9: Tissue Helminths: Snails, Rats, Cobras and Parasites in the Brain 117 Chapter 10: Intestinal Protozoa: Please Pass the Stool 128 Chapter 11: Tissue Protozoa: That Cat Will Really Drive Me Crazy One of These Days 143 Chapter 12: Blood Protozoa: In Search of the Holy Grail 158 Epilogue 178 General Travel Precautions 178 Further Reading 181 Chapter One 181 Chapter Two 181 Chapter Three 181 Chapter Four 182 Chapter Five 182 Chapter Six 183 Chapter Seven 183 Chapter Eight 183 Chapter Nine 184 Chapter Ten 184 Chapter Eleven 185 Chapter Twelve 185 Front Matter ....Pages i-xvii Parasites and Tiger Snakes (Boo H. Kwa)....Pages 1-9 Tapeworms Down Under and Elsewhere (Boo H. Kwa)....Pages 11-19 Cysticercosis: The Ides of March (Boo H. Kwa)....Pages 21-34 Trematodes: It Was Just a Fluke (Boo H. Kwa)....Pages 35-49 Schistosomiasis: Napoleon, Snails and Stalemate Across the Taiwan Straits (Boo H. Kwa)....Pages 51-60 Filariasis and Elephantiasis: You Can’t Go Home Again (Boo H. Kwa)....Pages 61-74 River Blindness: And It Was About Time (Boo H. Kwa)....Pages 75-87 Intestinal Worms: Parasite Mysteries in Wintry Climes (Boo H. Kwa)....Pages 89-104 Tissue Helminths: Snails, Rats, Cobras and Parasites in the Brain (Boo H. Kwa)....Pages 105-115 Intestinal Protozoa: Please Pass the Stool (Boo H. Kwa)....Pages 117-131 Tissue Protozoa: That Cat Will Really Drive Me Crazy One of These Days (Boo H. Kwa)....Pages 133-147 Blood Protozoa: In Search of the Holy Grail (Boo H. Kwa)....Pages 149-168 Back Matter ....Pages 169-177