Evil Superscoundrel?

Brazilian Popgroup?

Italian Fashion Label?

Anti - Fungus Cleaning Liquid?

Sleepingpill for Toddlers?

Actually, none of the above: Endolimax nana is an intestinal parasite, associated with unsanitary living conditions. The little critter is fortunately completely harmless and you can let it live happily in your gut, feeding him from time to time and not worry about Nana (let's call it Nana, although it's not its first name) and her millions of siblings chewing happily in your inside. Even if you're under the weather, have an immunedeficiency or even AIDS, Nana will not let you down and make you ill.

Having an amoeba in your entrails is normally frowned upon by your doctor, as i.e Entamoeba histolytica is quite a dangerous little bugger, causing pain and suffering in millions of humans across the planet, but tiny (6 - 8 µm) Nana will only cause your doctor to raise his eyebrows and the receiver of his phone, as he'll probably call his local microbiologist to find out what in the world this bug's about.

So, how can you get it? Well, living in or visiting a country without proper sewage treatment is a start (New Zealand comes to mind), and eating contaminated food (as usual) can get you infected with the cysts as well. Nana will then develop into its trophozoite form and start making itsself at home.

It can stay from days up to years, but instead of freaking out, take the opportunity to examine your stool microscopically and see the beauty that is your intestinal fauna. No treatment required, although it will probably vanish sulkingly with some metronidazole.


Source:
http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~parasite/endolimax.html
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/amebae/factsht_amebae.htm
http://www.practicalscience.com/en.html

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