The Bed-Bug or house-bug (Cimex lectularius) is a parasite of the family Cimicidae. The common bed-bug is about 4.5 mm long, wingless, of a roundish depressed body, dirty rust colour, and emits an offensive smell when touched. The female lays her eggs in summer in the crevices of bedsteads, furniture, and walls of rooms. Its larvae are small, white, and semi transparent. They attain full size in eleven weeks. The mouth of the bed-bug has a three-jointed proboscis, which forms a sheath for a sucker. It is fond of humanblood, but eats various other substances. Research Bed-Bug
Cryptosporidium is an intracellular Protozoan parasite that causes diarrhoea, although in people who are immuno-suppressed it can also cause respiratory and gallbladder infections. It is transmitted by the faecal-oral route. Research Cryptosporidium
An epiphyte is a plant which grows and flourishes on the trunks and branches of trees, adhering to the bark, as a moss, lichen, fern, etc, but which does not, like a parasite, derive any nourishment from the plant on which it grows. Many orchidaceous plants are epiphytes. Research Epiphyte
Ergot (Claviceps purpurea) is a fungoid parasite found on several cereals, principally rye. The seed is replaced by a dense homogeneous tissue largely charged with an oily fluid. In its perfect state this germinates and produces the Claviceps. When eaten it causes the disease of ergotism (formerly known as St Anthony's Fire) which can be fatal. It is widely used in medicine as it contains more than a dozen potent alkaloids and was used in obstetric practice to promote the contraction of the uterus. Research Ergot
The forest fly is a fly so called from its abundance in the New Forest. It is an external parasite on horses and cattle, is flat in form, leathery in consistency, and has legs specially adapted for clinging to the hair of its host. Although possessing wings, it rarely uses them. It is a pupiparous fly, giving birth to a single larva which quickly turns into a pupa. Research Forest Fly
A parasite is an organism that lives in or on another organism - known as the host. The host derives no benefit from the parasite, and is often manipulated and harmed by the parasite. Many parasites use intermediary hosts as stages on their journey to animals further up the food chain, and in doing so will manipulate he behaviour of the host. For example, the malaria parasite utilises mosquitos in its journey to large mammals. Before it is ready to pass to the mammal, the parasite suppresses the feeding instinct of the hostmosquito, thereby reducing the chances of it being killed. However, once mature and ready to move on the parasite encourages the mosquito to feed more voraciously, inmproving the likelihood that the malaria parasite will be passed on. Some parasites cause their hosts to commit suicide by being eaten, or behave in a manner which makes them much more vulnerable to predators, so that the parasite can move up the food chain to a higher host. Research Parasite
The Russian Tapeworm or Broad Tapeworm (Bothriocephalus latus) is a worm commonly found in man. The first stage occurs in fish, notably pike and burbot. In consequence the parasite is particularly common in countries where much fish is eaten in a raw or undercooked state. The adult tapeworm has two suckers but no hooks and may reach a length of ten metres. The eggs hatch into free-swimming ciliated embryos. Research Russian Tapeworm
Sheep Louse is a fly which gets into the wool of sheep and sucks their blood. The parasite fixes its head in the skin and causes a tumour. The remedy for
Sheep Louse is the sheep-dip. Research Sheep Louse
Trichina is a genus of Nematodeworms. The genus includes Trichiasis spiralis which is one of the most dangerous parasites in man and other animals. It is very small, being less than 5 mm long, and some millions may be present in any one host, in which case they frequently give rise to the condition known as trichiniasis. The eggs are hatched out in the intestines of the host, and the trichinae then migrate to the muscles where they become encysted and develop no further unless the flesh of the host is eaten by some other animal. They are then set free in the alimentarycanal, where they become sexually mature. The natural host of this parasite is the rat, but it is also prevalent in pigs, and hence transmitted to man through eating pork. Research Trichina
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Bed-Bug
