Not just for weight loss any more!

February 20, 2007 6:42 AM

The fascinating world of the tapeworm. Everyone has heard of these parasites, but what do you really know? Not much, if you get your medical information from House. They are a menace to pets as well as humans, but they may have some hidden benefits. They have even been discussed on MeFI before! Is there anything they can't do?
posted by TedW (33 comments total)

The can't dunk.
posted by Astro Zombie at 6:53 AM on February 20, 2007

But they can dangle.
posted by TedW at 6:57 AM on February 20, 2007

Do tapeworms get lupus?
posted by maudlin at 6:58 AM on February 20, 2007 [1 favorite]

It's never lupus.
posted by GuyZero at 6:58 AM on February 20, 2007 [2 favorites]

All I really know is this dude who pulled a three footer from his asshole when he was four years old and showed it to his mom like it was a Cracker Jack prize.
posted by The Straightener at 6:59 AM on February 20, 2007

History shows that they can't invade Iraq successfully.
posted by DU at 7:05 AM on February 20, 2007 [1 favorite]

Is there anything they can't do

They can't not be gross. Because they are.
posted by Ynoxas at 7:05 AM on February 20, 2007

History shows that they can't invade Iraq successfully.

That only applies to Taenia solium, which the CDC states is rare in Muslim countries (and presumably Israel as well)
posted by TedW at 7:27 AM on February 20, 2007

Nothings more fun than having a tapeworm.
posted by jonmc at 7:32 AM on February 20, 2007

Wow, Carl Zimmer looks like an author I have been missing out on. Thanks!

Oh yeah, almost forgot: ewwwww...
posted by owhydididoit at 7:43 AM on February 20, 2007

I just read that story in the previous mefi post and I want to die.
posted by Pastabagel at 7:45 AM on February 20, 2007

Great tapeworm story on the fray.
posted by heydanno at 7:46 AM on February 20, 2007

(whoops, that was the topic of the previous MeFi post. the fray story is the first thing that comes to my mind when tapeworm is mentioned.)
posted by heydanno at 7:51 AM on February 20, 2007

Ho dee oh um doh um day...fattening up our tapeworm.
posted by phirleh at 7:54 AM on February 20, 2007

Me think my tapeworm is hungry...going for lunch.
posted by dov3 at 9:04 AM on February 20, 2007

the fray story is the first thing that comes to my mind when tapeworm is mentioned.)

Me too. Having read that years and years ago, it has stuck with me...almost like a parasite.
posted by thanotopsis at 9:15 AM on February 20, 2007

HeyDanno beat me to it. That's perhaps my favorite Fray story ever, and yes now when I hear the word tapeworm, "The Fray" is the first thing that comes to mind... That may not be a good thing. Might make an interesting T-Shirt though... "Tapeworms make me think about Fray.Com!"
posted by ZachsMind at 9:27 AM on February 20, 2007 [1 favorite]

My eldest uncle once pulled a ~3m long tapeworm out of my mother's nose when she was a kid.

Russian dolls tapeworms.
posted by porpoise at 9:41 AM on February 20, 2007

Um, that's the first link in the FPP. Or did you do that on porpoise?
posted by Floydd at 9:49 AM on February 20, 2007

Since returning from Honduras I've lived in fear that I have a tapeworm.

Last month though I had a colonoscopy and all is well. Does this mean I don't have one? Or can they dwell higher up in the small intestine?
posted by DieHipsterDie at 10:04 AM on February 20, 2007

nothing was more horrifying then when I realized that the mysterious rice/seed thingies that I kept finding in my bed every morening were tapeworm segments from my dog as she spooned next to me. It sends shivers down my spine to this day remembering that revelation.
posted by brinkzilla at 10:10 AM on February 20, 2007

morning- sigh....
posted by brinkzilla at 10:11 AM on February 20, 2007

Never have I been happier that <img> is gone. ::shudder::
posted by Mayor West at 10:53 AM on February 20, 2007

maudlin: Do tapeworms get lupus?
GuyZero: It's never lupus.

/hehhe-he ... I'm dyin' here.
posted by RavinDave at 11:06 AM on February 20, 2007

God I love House.
posted by unknowncommand at 11:28 AM on February 20, 2007 [1 favorite]

when i was a kid i heard this story about getting rid of a tapeworm. it is better told out loud and with more graphic language, but you get the idea.
posted by crawfishpopsicle at 11:35 AM on February 20, 2007

my tapeworm tells me what to do.
posted by lester's sock puppet at 11:59 AM on February 20, 2007

/hehhe-he ... I'm dyin' here.

Assuming that's not sarcasm, little did I expect anyone to get House in-jokes. House fans, represent! No new episode tonight though. boo-hoo.
posted by GuyZero at 12:18 PM on February 20, 2007

my tapeworm tells me what to do.

Best use ever of this song: A guild I was in organizes a Halloween event where we all roll level 1 Zombies and invade Stormwind.
posted by thanotopsis at 12:30 PM on February 20, 2007

The story about tapeworm babies living and breeding inside the mother reminded me of the experiments where they make mutant nematode worms which don't have a vulva and can't lay eggs. This leads to the excellently-named bag of worms mutants, where the babies hatch inside and eventually chew their way out.
posted by penguinliz at 3:16 PM on February 20, 2007

On behalf of everyone here who does have a vulva: ewww!
posted by maudlin at 3:41 PM on February 20, 2007

My tapeworm just threw up in its mouth a little.
posted by infinitywaltz at 3:56 PM on February 20, 2007

Yeah I saw the episode of House featuring the tapeworm.

::shudder::

I'm refraining from clicking ANY of these links (except jonmc's, because I was intruiged by his delivery), but I'm sure they're all... very nice.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 4:48 PM on February 20, 2007