Image courtesy of Alex Loukas, James Cook University
This is a hookworm, up close and personal. It has tooth-like barbs inside its mouth that it uses to attach onto the inner walls of a person’s or animal’s gut. This particular hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum, infects dogs.
The idea of worms living inside the body makes most people (including me) squirm. Yet along with disgust, I also feel intense curiosity. What these worms can do to alter the human body is completely fascinating. And I knew kids would love the gross factor.
I don’t know why so many kids love gross things. It probably has something to do with getting a big reaction from other kids and adults. But I bet curiosity plays a role, too. I hope lots of curious kids read this new article. They’ll discover lots of icky and wild stuff about worms, but they’ll also learn more about how the human body works.
How wriggling, blood-eating parasitic worms alter the body
Science News for Students, November 3, 2022
