Like the addresses of Lillian Mayberry (1996) on intentional infections for scientific purposes and of Larry Roberts on “science literacy” and pseudoscience in parasitology (1999), I picked 1 that may interest a broad spectrum of scientists. I hope the presentation will allow you all to appreciate another view of parasites and parasitic infections, a view that might be approached differently by a squeamish nonparasitologist.
Of the parasites that infect humans and other animals, a large percentage is acquired orally through the diet or by accident. Most of these parasites are embedded in the tissues of the dietary items and are not seen by the consumer. This address focuses on intentionally eaten parasites and not on the infected tissue or the parasites acquired incidentally. Some of the examples involve parasites that are not eaten or acquired incidentally, but they allow the reader to understand aspects of infections or perceptions of...