Monthly Archives: July 2014

Swimmer's itch: sailors, fishermen and swimmers beware

230px-Cercarial_dermatitis_lower_legs

For those in the northern hemisphere, summer holidays are upon us and with them comes the pleasure of taking part in fresh water sports. But beware, minuscule parasites may be lurking in seemingly tranquil waters ready to burrow into exposed skin and cause an extremely itchy rash to develop. Swimmer’s itch was first described in… Read more »

Biology
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Malaria can make you more attractive to mosquitoes

P. vivax vertebrate stages 20040603215831722

Mosquitoes that transmit malaria are attracted to individuals by the profile of their body odour. Differences in odour profile make some people more attractive to mosquitoes than others, thus mosquito biting is non-random. Malaria infections increase attractiveness, making it more likely that infected people are bitten and the parasites are passed on to others. Parasitic… Read more »

Biology