This was the rather odd start to a lecture. However, as I will explain, it makes a lot of sense!
Eustrongylides are a group of worms (Helminths) that present the same way in humans. These worms do not want to be in humans - they would much prefer to be in fish eating birds! However, sometimes they find their way into humans. This is very sad for them, as they freak out and have no idea what to do, human anatomy being pretty different from bird anatomy! Humans in this instance are "incidental" hosts, or hosts which the parasite does not want to be in!
This worm typically lives in the gut of birds. It is passed out with feces into the water, where it is eaten by fish. The eggs hatch in the fish and develop into infective larvae. If all goes according to plan, the fish is then eaten by the bird, and the Eustrongylides can happily grow up and reproduce in the birds gut, just like it always wanted.
Problems happen when humans eat the fish that the larvae are living in. Cooking will kill the worm, which is why it is always important to thoroughly cook any fish that you catch yourself! Fish in the US that is sold as "sushi-grade" will be deep frozen beforehand, so the parasitic worm will be killed. However, sushi that's homemade from non-sushi grade fish, or sushi (or cerviche) in other parts of the world are likely hosts!
Patients with this worm come into the ER with severe stomach pain, at times similar to a ruptured appendix. This is because the worm has hatched in their intestine, and is burrowing it's way out into the body through the intestinal wall. Exploratory surgeons in this situation are often met with the worm coming out at them, similar to that scene in Alien. Poor little worm!
Photo Credit: fcps.edu
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