So, who’s into Nematodes?

I’m back after being out in the wilds of British Columbia for the last two weeks. To my alarm, I discovered that these friggen things were in our water supply where we were. Drinking-water comes from a creek supplied by a natural spring/runoff. The creek was very low as it’s been hot and dry most of the summer. This is the first time in the 15 years I've been going up there that I noticed these things in the tap water.



(At the top of the picture is the end of a garden hose that had been left slowly running all night on a fine mesh.)

All four of us (two adults and two kids) had diarrhea for a few days while we were up the coast. We all feel fine now, but... I keep on thinking about the scene in ALIEN were the critter jumps out of the guy’s stomach.

Anyone familiar with these things? Should we get checked out now that we're back in civilization?

By the way, it wasn’t all bad up there...

Klingons say, "Gakh is best served live."

I say AAAAAAAAAAAAA NO NO BLECH YECH NO NO

Seriously, get checked by a doc. It will probably mean stool samples and such but do it. Intestinal parasites are nothing to mess with, and if these things are in the water, God alone knows what else is in there....

Ed

That's a lot of nematoads. Seriously, get yourself checked out before it's too late...

Eewww. Disgusting.

I can't tell what kind of nematodes they are. Many (most?) kinds are harmless if swallowed. There are some nematodes that act as human parasites and cause infection. But I can't tell if those are one of those kinds.

While I was up the coast, I took a large jar full of these things over to a fella who owns a fish farm and has lived in the area for 30 years. He believed they were harmless and that these particular nematodes lived in all the creeks and fed on vegetation. However, he also added he didn't know for sure!

If I suddenly disappear from this forum, you’ll know the eggs have hatched.

I’ve got a physical exam scheduled in a couple of weeks. Guess I’ll mention these critters to the doc...

Have a look at the link below, you may want to be checked out as soon as possible. A quick quote:

"Many of the parasitic species cause important diseases of plants, animals, and humans."


http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/pathogens/nematodes.html

Ugh! Hope you go to the doc, and they don't find anything!

Dang, those things look like infant Goa'uld! Get help from the Tokra if necessary. Gate address follows:



Don't forget to mention any symptoms like a strong desire to enslave the universe or glowing eyes.

Seriously though, get checked out soon.

[This message has been edited by tutnkmn (edited 08-22-2006).]

I wont get into the details of my parasite exploits from mountain fresh water but dude deffinatly get checked out.

quote Originally posted by Phranc: I wont get into the details of my parasite exploits from mountain fresh water but dude deffinatly get checked out.

Thank you..

jk lol


I see that you have 2 options....

1. go see a doc..
2. get life insurance NOW and set me as benificiary, i will send flowers (j/k)

Get the whole family to the doctor, immediately. Some nematodes can make you really sick!

My girlfriend who was with me up the coast is a doctor, and true to her training as a physician, she brought back a sample of these nematodes in a glass vial. Later this week she’ll be in touch with the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, and we hope they’ll have the sample analyzed. I’ll let you all know what we find out.

MMMM!! bamboo shoots, growing wild!!!
Patrick, hope things are going as well as possible with coping with your loss.
Are those your dogs? Better get them checked too. Retrieving sticks from the water means swimming with the mouth open, obvously. Shouldn't be too surprised if a few of those nasty things found their way into the dogs' tummies
Nick

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fierofetish.PFF'S self-confessed Snowbird!!

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[This message has been edited by fierofetish (edited 08-23-2006).]

Nick, those dogs belonged to other people staying in the same area. I was just the guy throwing the stick.

Regarding my recent loss, It was good to get away and forget about the last month or so for a couple of weeks. However, I had one kinda sad experience while I was there. My mind was wandering one day as I spent hours power washing a large deck at my friend's house/cabin where I was staying. I was thinking of all the funny/interesting things I could say to my Mom when I got home regarding this latest trip up the coast. Then it hit me like a sharp slap in the face - I suddenly remembered my Mom was no longer alive. I felt rather melancholy for the rest of that day...

Patrick, I still do it, even after more than two years....But at least I can smile about now
Good to hear from you.
Nick

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fierofetish.PFF'S self-confessed Snowbird!!

Growing old is harder than growing up.
Responsibility: the solution for our World's Dilemmas..
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MSN Messenger-nicholascann@hotmail.com

quote Originally posted by Patrick: Later this week we’ll be in touch with the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, and we hope they’ll have the sample analyzed. I’ll let you all know what we find out.

Well, it's been a lot longer than a week, but better late than never...

We were shocked to discover that none of the medical labs would look at the Nematodes we had in the jar of water. They stated that their agenda is to only investigate organisms which originated from within someone. With that in mind, I then submitted a stool sample. Seems that they'd prefer to poke around in my sh!t rather than to look in a vial of creek water. Whatever turns them on...

Anyway, it turns out that nothing was found in my stool sample. No critters, no eggs. I guess these were just harmless nematodes and not the parasitic type. However, we'll either be taking up our drinking water next year, or we'll be taking some kind of a water filtration device with us. No point pushing our luck!



Sorry, no picture of the stool sample.

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 09-22-2006).]

Errm..always willing to oblige a friend Patrick

Nick

quote Originally posted by fierofetish: Errm..always willing to oblige a friend Patrick Nick

Thats funny. Thanks for making me chuckle durring what has been a rather crappy day.

quote Originally posted by Phranc: ...durring what has been a rather crappy day.

I had about five of those (literally) after I drank that water.

quote Originally posted by Patrick: I had about five of those (literally) after I drank that water.

OH, MAN !!!!!

Didnt ya EVER hear the warning about dont drink the water?? Thats exactly why beer and tequila were invented.

Those things are dangerous. I was watching an episode of Sponge Bob, and Sponge Bob and Gary were sleeping in his pineapple when every thing started to shrink around him. When they woke up they thought they were giants until they relized the pineapple was shrinking. Long story short they had a group of nematodes eat his house with straws until it was gone. So please be careful

quote Originally posted by Patrick: Seems that they'd prefer to poke around in my sh!t rather than to look in a vial of creek water. Whatever turns them on... Anyway, it turns out that nothing was found in my stool sample. No critters, no eggs. I guess these were just harmless nematodes and not the parasitic type.

Hmm. I'd get a second opinon. You never know what may happen in a few months?

quote Originally posted by madcurl: Hmm. I'd get a second opinon. You never know what may happen in a few months?

I better start counting my teeth.

quote Originally posted by Fiero2M6GT1: Those things are dangerous. I was watching an episode of Sponge Bob, and...

Is acid making a comeback?