I realize I live nowhere near Afghanistan, but that isn’t stopping me from obsessing about developing the flesh eating disease Leishmaniasis. My skin hasn’t stopped crawling since I stumbled across this article earlier today.
Unbeknownst to me, Afghanistan’s population is apparently being mauled by a highly contagious, flesh-eating parasite carried by sandflies. Now given, I doubt there are many sandflies in my neck of the woods, but I can’t help but think it’s only a matter of time in today’s ultra-connected world.
These “flies” don’t fly, they hide on animals and people. People maybe like oh I don't know, troops ending their tour in Afghanistan and returning home, or immigrants coming to live in America!
West Nile and Bird Flu out; Leishmaniasis in.
Unbeknownst to me, Afghanistan’s population is apparently being mauled by a highly contagious, flesh-eating parasite carried by sandflies. Now given, I doubt there are many sandflies in my neck of the woods, but I can’t help but think it’s only a matter of time in today’s ultra-connected world.
These “flies” don’t fly, they hide on animals and people. People maybe like oh I don't know, troops ending their tour in Afghanistan and returning home, or immigrants coming to live in America!
West Nile and Bird Flu out; Leishmaniasis in.
5 comments:
Wow! One time I was chewed up by some sandflies. Those things are relentless. They bite and bite and bite. They really take over anywhere they decide to take up residence. They're unbearable beings... sort of like us humans. You know?
In my twenties, for about a month I was SURE I had a tapeworm after hearing about someone who had one. Miserable month for me I remember, seriously. The sandflies are not such a leap for me, I can relate!
To be honest, last year in Buenos Aires, I got bit by a bug I've never seen before. It wasn't a mosquito and it wasn't a sandfly. I'm thinking it's the one with Chagas disease. I guess I've got that. It's cool though, I'm not one for growing old. Still, it sucks to be me.
Leila,
Eew! And here I was preoccupied with the teeny little jellyfish they have in Australia that can cause a deadly disease(aka the reason I would never go swimming in Australia). As far as I know they don't migrate so we're safe here...but eek. http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1082414.htm
Going to go read about these sandflies now.
Addie
Addie:
That’s enough to keep me out of the water too! Especially after reading about that bearded seal who migrated from Antarctica to Florida the other day! You just never know!
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Tournesol:
lol. I’ve never heard of tapeworm, now I’m dying to look it up! I’m sure I’ll have it by the end of the week...
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Sean:
Sandflies in New York? Or, are you one of the people carrying those little bastards into the country? And I don’t even want to know what Chagas disease is, that just sounds bad.
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