(Natural News) Ticks, parasitic arachnids belonging to the same family as mites, have long been associated with Lyme disease, an infection caused by a spiral bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. The disease is spread to humans through the bite of black-legged or deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis). Based on information released by the Centers for Disease Control […]

(Natural News) Parasites can be a massive headache in a microscopic size, and in the case of a certain parasitic worm, the headache it causes is literal – the rat lungworm parasite can wreak havoc on a person’s brain, and can even cause major neurological problems. Now, recent findings by the Hawaii State Department of […]

(Natural News) As tempting as it is to cool off with a dip in the pool – don’t. There may be parasites in the water, as per a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the CDC, 7,000 cases of Cryptosporidium infections were recorded within the past decade, adding that […]

(Natural News) Here’s an interesting nugget on bedbugs, the little bloodsuckers that both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consider a public health pest. A recent study from the University of Sheffield in England indicated that bedbugs had been parasites to different species other than humans for over 100 million years. […]

(Natural News) Parasites are small organisms that depend on a living host for their survival and propagation. In humans, parasites are often found in the intestines, but they also dwell in other organs such as the skin and the brain. Because they cannot live sans their host, most human parasites don’t cause death, but some can […]

(Natural News) Around the world, parasitoid wasps use spiders as the host for their babies. Researchers recently found that the wasps take advantage of the spiders’ hormone to force their victims into doing their bidding. A wasp starts the gruesome series of events by laying an egg on the body of a spider. Its larva feeds on […]

(Natural News) Not in the habit of washing fruits and vegetables before cooking and chowing down on them? A recently released video showed all kinds of tiny insects, bugs, and microbes living on the unwashed surface of plant foods. Danish biomedical student Martin Kaae Kristiansen studies at Aalborg University. The 28-year-old obtained several common vegetables from […]

(Natural News) The next time a person encounters a bug in his garden, he may want to rein in his reflexive response of crushing it like a, well, bug. Some of these critters fulfill beneficial roles such as delivering pollen to flowers and devouring actual pest species. Start with the praying mantis, one of the […]

(Natural News) Basic hygiene practices such as washing hands with soap and water are taught from childhood. On top of washing, many people also use antiseptics to better get rid of germs. Rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and iodine are some common antiseptics found in most homes. (h/t to BeansBulletsBandagesAndYou.com) Which is which: antiseptics, disinfectants, and […]

(Natural News) Gastrointestinal health relies on maintaining plenty of beneficial bacteria while keeping the numbers of harmful ones in check. Singaporean researchers warned about a particular gut microbe that might disrupt the composition of good bacteria. The gut contains trillions of microorganisms. Bacteria comprise most of the gut microbiota, but single-celled organisms and viruses are also present […]