Rick,
While most species of Tapeworm are carried exclusively by mammals such as cow, pig, or dogs and not carried by insects, I found this info in a wikipedia article. One species of the Tapeworm (Hymenolepis nana) can be carried by beetles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymenolepiasis
I couldn't find any other parasites that can be transmitted from insect to human. But besides parasites, I'd expect that there are bacterial and viral concerns that should be considered before eating raw insects, the same as with eating other animals raw.Hymenolepis is generally found in the feces of rats which is consumed by its secondary hosts: beetles. The worms mature into a life form referred to as a "cysticercoid" in the insect; in H. nana, the insect is always a beetle.
I'm not real big on bugs as food, but for better or worse, uncle sam sent me to several wonderful vacation spots where bugs are among the general food, and I have also made a few trips to messico.
It isn't unusual to find "street food" that is bugs and other things that I find pretty unappetizing.
Up on the DMZ and down in seul in S. Korea it is probable that you will have opportunity to eat dog meat, in fact is is quite possible that you will get mystery meat in many of those dishes. Just turn off your brain and eat. It won't kill you, but I did find that large amounts of the local intoxicating beverage helped me to put it all down.
The ants down in messico that they cook up are to me just like burnt crispy things, the sauce it the taste.
Well ya get the picture, lot of people eat stuff that I find unusual and don't really want to eat, but most of it won't kill you and getting past our mental issues it more key than the actual "food".
I have eaten rattlesnake, then (i was pretty young the first time my uncle got me to try some) I sat around waiting for the poison to kill me . Kids huh?
I have tried alligator, (don't like it)
Armadillo is pretty decent
Ground Hog puts me in mind of pork chops
Beaver is ok
Possum, Nope, not interested in that greasy thing, not even if it was live caught and cleaned out with a diet of corn.
Deer, feral pig are good stuff
Bear is sweat like horse meat and I don't really care for either.
most fish, shell fish, and other lake creatures are edible to me
I'd say I have probably eaten as much strange stuff as anyone, and I'm still kicking. some I liked, some I did not, some was pure mental some was actual taste.
I find that a bottle of tobasco, and sufficient beer (back when I actually drank a lot) makes eating most things do able.
The more stuff you can get yourself to eat, the more likely you are to be able to stay full no matter where life takes you.
Thad.
Thaddius Bickerton
3
Oh, one thing worth adding:
It is a good idea to carry a bottle of pink bismuth (pepto) and some immodium tablets with you. May not cure you if you do get some nasty, but it will help you stay alive till you can get to a Dr.
And water with a tea spoon of sugar and a pinch of salt will help you stay hydrated if you cannot get some gatoraid powder.
One last thought since I mentioned using beer to help wash down the stuff: If you can get near a helicopter and grab a few deep breaths of the O2 tank it will clean out your head before you go on the next airlift etc. (Back when I was young marine grunt exp.)
I heard they took the O2 off them later on, guess it was a bomb waiting to happen , even with that bitty tank, but it sure did clear out the old cobwebbs.
Ya'll have fun out there in the woods n keep smiling, it makes em wonder what you been up to.
Thad
Thaddius Bickerton
3
Thad,
Did you grow up in Alabama, or move there later in life! Wow. Some brave folks in them hills.
If those words don't put a healthy fear in us readers...
Thanks!
I guess I should reword my comments. I wasn't aware that insects could infect humans with tapeworms. That's the idea I was trying to get across but did a poor job of it apparently.
I was aware of the tapeworm problems from the four sources I described above but I've never read or heard of humans being infected with tapeworms from insects. I understand they have tapeworm eggs, larvae and cysts but I wasn't aware it was a specie that would thrive in humans.
Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.
In another part of the same wikipedia article, it says the following:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymenolepiasis
So I believe this is at least a claim that insects can transmit Tapeworms (H. nana) to humans. I think it'd be safe to say that putting an infected insect onto your tongue would make your tongue "contaminated material".Humans and other animals become infected when they intentionally or unintentionally eat material contaminated by insects.
In those cases what generally happens is the insect comes in contact with feces that is contaminated by tapeworm eggs. The eggs become attached to the legs of the insect that then transfers them to human food. Flies are an example example of this methodology. So the tapeworm actually came from a mammal (in this example) and was transferred by an insect to people.
Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.
Rick, I think you must be thinking of a different situation.
In the case of the H. nana tapeworm, the beetle does not merely transport the eggs on its legs. It can properly be called "infected" by the tapeworm. The tapeworm is living inside the beetle as a parasite. The beetle is its host. Humans can be infected indirectly by eating the eggs in the beetle's feces, or directly by eating the beetle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymenolepiasis
andHymenolepis is generally found in the feces of rats which is consumed by its secondary hosts: beetles. The worms mature into a life form referred to as a "cysticercoid" in the insect; in H. nana, the insect is always a beetle. Humans and other animals become infected when they intentionally or unintentionally eat material contaminated by insects.
Transmission of H.nana occurs via the fecal-oral route. It also occurs by accidental ingestion of insect containing the cysticercoid.
Moved from W. Va. holler to north Alabama when I was 9 or so. Lived here since, except when the corp sent me to funny places with funny people and paid me to break things and hurt them. Along the way I ended up making a few friends in most places, and tried what they ate.
Later on I took a good many trips to places that interested me, or that I could make some money working there.
but aye, mostly alabama raised.
Saw the change from share cropper poverty over to the TVA influenced growths in the area.
Still keep a lot of that poverty knowledge alive. A garden and a root cellar and putting up stuff for next year etc is just second nature to me.
Thaddius Bickerton
3
How close to Huntsville are you Mr Bickerton. I have people in the Florence area. I spent 50 years just north of you in southern Middle TN.
If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?
Wait....What?.....You are not a TRUE Kentuckian?! Oh the humanity!!!!!!!!!! You have deceived us, sir! Given us a false impression as it were. Jim Bowie and Kit Carson are probably rolling in their graves...not to mention Foster Brooks!
Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.
”There's nothing glorious in dying. Anyone can do it.” ~Johnny Rotten
Have you ever pulled the plug in the bathtub and watched the little whirlpool form? Just before water goes down the drain...right at the lip of the drain...that's Ohio. Nothing good ever comes from going to Ohio. You have to unload and case your blamed weapon. That is so.....so....archaic. So.....Illinois like. Do you really want to live in a state that's like Illinois?!
Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.
The best I could come up with is:
"Happiness is a Warm Bug"
You carry a tub plug? That sir, is just sick.
Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.
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