Difference between revisions of "Tapeworm"
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| + | Tapeworms are large, flat worms that live in the intestines of humans and other animals and can achieve lengths of up to 30 feet. Sections of the worm (proglottids) which contain eggs are excreted by the initial host, and if the faeces are left untreated, the eggs may be ingested by intermediate hosts, such as pigs and cattle. The eggs hatch in the intermediate host, and the larvae attach themselves to the intestinal wall, eventually passing through into the bloodstream, and invading muscle and fatty tissues, where they form cysts. When the animal is killed for food, humans ingest the parasite by eating these cysts in raw or undercooked meat or fish. Once inside the intestinal tract, the cysts hatch, developing into adult worms, which then attach themsleves to the new host's intestinal wall. The worms then grow in length, until they are adults and ready to reproduce, at which point the cycle is complete. | ||
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The origin of the tapeworm (Class Cestoda, various species) is somewhat obscure, but if one reads about Noah and his magnificent ark it is apparent that the tapeworm was brought with the other organisms on the ark as commanded by God: "And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch." -Genesis 6:13-14. And: "And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every [sort] shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep [them] alive with thee; they shall be male and female." -Genesis 6:19. And: "1. And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. 2. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that [are] not clean by two, the male and his female. 3. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. 4. For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. 5. And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him." -Genesis 7:1-5 | The origin of the tapeworm (Class Cestoda, various species) is somewhat obscure, but if one reads about Noah and his magnificent ark it is apparent that the tapeworm was brought with the other organisms on the ark as commanded by God: "And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch." -Genesis 6:13-14. And: "And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every [sort] shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep [them] alive with thee; they shall be male and female." -Genesis 6:19. And: "1. And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. 2. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that [are] not clean by two, the male and his female. 3. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. 4. For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. 5. And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him." -Genesis 7:1-5 | ||
What becomes unclear exactly is what other animal species carried this strange cargo. Based on the number of species of tapeworms (approximately 5000 in class Cestoda) it is fair to say that every animal on the ark must have been a defacto mini-Noah's ark, carrying the "flesh" in their intestines that would be spared from the coming flooding of Earth.{{fact}} It is a fascinating answer, but not precise in its scope by any measure: If there were more species than tapeworms, where did the extra tapeworms go? If there were fewer, which species were spared and why? Perhaps as creationist scholars investigate questions such as these more thoroughly a more exact answer to this mystery will take form on these pages and elsewhere. | What becomes unclear exactly is what other animal species carried this strange cargo. Based on the number of species of tapeworms (approximately 5000 in class Cestoda) it is fair to say that every animal on the ark must have been a defacto mini-Noah's ark, carrying the "flesh" in their intestines that would be spared from the coming flooding of Earth.{{fact}} It is a fascinating answer, but not precise in its scope by any measure: If there were more species than tapeworms, where did the extra tapeworms go? If there were fewer, which species were spared and why? Perhaps as creationist scholars investigate questions such as these more thoroughly a more exact answer to this mystery will take form on these pages and elsewhere. | ||
Revision as of 22:47, May 15, 2007
Tapeworms are large, flat worms that live in the intestines of humans and other animals and can achieve lengths of up to 30 feet. Sections of the worm (proglottids) which contain eggs are excreted by the initial host, and if the faeces are left untreated, the eggs may be ingested by intermediate hosts, such as pigs and cattle. The eggs hatch in the intermediate host, and the larvae attach themselves to the intestinal wall, eventually passing through into the bloodstream, and invading muscle and fatty tissues, where they form cysts. When the animal is killed for food, humans ingest the parasite by eating these cysts in raw or undercooked meat or fish. Once inside the intestinal tract, the cysts hatch, developing into adult worms, which then attach themsleves to the new host's intestinal wall. The worms then grow in length, until they are adults and ready to reproduce, at which point the cycle is complete.
The origin of the tapeworm (Class Cestoda, various species) is somewhat obscure, but if one reads about Noah and his magnificent ark it is apparent that the tapeworm was brought with the other organisms on the ark as commanded by God: "And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch." -Genesis 6:13-14. And: "And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every [sort] shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep [them] alive with thee; they shall be male and female." -Genesis 6:19. And: "1. And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. 2. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that [are] not clean by two, the male and his female. 3. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. 4. For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. 5. And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him." -Genesis 7:1-5
What becomes unclear exactly is what other animal species carried this strange cargo. Based on the number of species of tapeworms (approximately 5000 in class Cestoda) it is fair to say that every animal on the ark must have been a defacto mini-Noah's ark, carrying the "flesh" in their intestines that would be spared from the coming flooding of Earth.[Citation Needed] It is a fascinating answer, but not precise in its scope by any measure: If there were more species than tapeworms, where did the extra tapeworms go? If there were fewer, which species were spared and why? Perhaps as creationist scholars investigate questions such as these more thoroughly a more exact answer to this mystery will take form on these pages and elsewhere.
