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September 23, 2001 :: "Don’t pee in the water. No really."
From the Encyclopedia Britannica:
Candiru
(Vandellia cirrhosa), scaleless, parasitic catfish of the family Trichomycteridae found in the Amazon River region. A translucent, eellike fish about 2.5 cm (1 inch) long, the candiru feeds on blood and is commonly found in the gill cavities of other fishes. It is sometimes also parasitic to humans and has been known to enter the urethras of bathers.
Umm... what was that last bit? “... has been known to enter the urethras of bathers?” Wow. I’m sure some of you have read about this tiny predator. It’s the only known vertebrate parasite. It was considered to be a myth, but this year a Brazilian woman actually got one caught in her. [shudders]
I can’t think of a better way to go than having a 1" fish swim into my urethra, lock its spines out so that it can only be surgically removed, and proceed to suck my blood. What a lovely thought...
He said. She said. There’s 12 Comments
I vaguely remember hearing someone telling me about this, or something very similar, about a month ago. I was convinced that it was an urban myth.
I guess not. Ick, ick, ick.
By Natalie :: September 23, 2001 10:22 PM EST
I know. It’s one of those things that should be a myth. It’s just too nasty to be real.
By Davezilla :: September 23, 2001 10:25 PM EST
do you know where i can get me some of those?
By "w" :: September 23, 2001 10:46 PM EST
(crosses legs uncomfortably)
By Amy Allen :: September 23, 2001 10:54 PM EST
Davezilla, Ever the bringer of good news. ;-)
By a11an :: September 24, 2001 07:46 AM EST
Y'know, Dave, just saying "Don't Swim in the Amazon River" might have been enough. Eeeuuwww Eeeeuuuww!!!
By Sherri :: September 24, 2001 11:45 AM EST
Must.. restrain.. urge... for marriage jokes!
By Jon :: September 24, 2001 12:14 PM EST
I thought this was common knowledge since it was mentioned in Medicine Man, when Sean Connery warns Lorraine Bracco not to urinate in the water.
But then, I've been known to cite most of my world knowledge from movies. Hmm. Well, this is one experience I'll leave to the movies, rather than finding out for myself.
By Kristin :: September 24, 2001 12:28 PM EST
I never saw that movie. Now I’m afraid to.
By Davezilla :: September 24, 2001 01:08 PM EST
Eeeuuuuuw!
By Sherri :: September 24, 2001 04:56 PM EST
Good God. That's what the nuns should have used to scare us at school instead of all those lame ass stories about hell and the Devil and all.
By Charles :: September 24, 2001 09:17 PM EST
a couple of months ago, 'eco-challenge' was broadcast on television (makes 'survivor' seem grotesquely wimpy).
during one of the episodes, there was a radio call to the emergency team in which a racer informs the EMC he just watched a leech disappear into his urethra.
their advice - given there was nothing they could do, and considering they probably had a lot of experience in it - was to let it be (!).
eventually, the leech would be full, and simply exit through the same door.
still, 'yargh'.
By mike :: September 24, 2001 10:56 PM EST
