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May 26th, 2008.
Here are four news stories that I've spotted that might be of interest to you.
Humans less hairy thanks to parasites and sex
(And I thought it was only male pattern balding. Goes to show you just how wrong I was.)
Humans lost their hair because it reduced the number of biting and disease-causing parasites, and made them more sexually attractive, according to a new theory.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s876284.htmDiseases You Can Catch from Your Pet
(Always be careful when handling pet waste.)
These diseases can be transmitted from pets to humans through fleas, ticks and animal secretions or excretions – such as salvia, urine or feces – as well as contaminated water or soil.
A number of diseases are associated with pet waste. Although toxoplasmosis from contact with kitty litter is rare, some people become infected this way. Pregnant women are at highest risk, but toxoplasmosis is more commonly obtained by eating uncooked meat or unwashed vegetables.
http://www.petside.com/news/diseases-you-can-catch-from-your-pet.htmlTapeworm evolution revealed
(Now that's a twist. It's like the new story about dog bites man. It's not really news until the man bites the dog. )
Humans gave tapeworms to cows and pigs - not the other way around as was thought. New research indicates that much of what was regarded as obvious about tapeworm evolution is wrong and that it was humans who infected cows and dogs, not the other way around.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2040756.stmCDC: Watch Out for Pool Parasites
(Remember the theme music from the Jaws movie? Every time you heard the music, you knew that the shark was coming. Now every time you go to the swimming pool you'll be thinking about that theme and have cryptosporidium to worry about.)
Last year, the CDC got a record number of reported outbreaks of recreational water illnesses, which are spread by swallowing, breathing, or having contact with germs in the water of swimming pools, spas, lakes, rivers, or oceans.
So far, the CDC has reports of 21 outbreaks of cryptosporidium ("crypto"), the leading cause of recreational water illnesses. \
http://www.webmd.com/news/20080519/cdc-watch-out-for-pool-parasites