You must be thinking what sort of fun fact the subject of diarrhea can have. I have to admit, I was also skeptical, but after reading up on it, it is a lot of fun; to read up on, not to have. It is surprising how much this uncomfortable illness is a big part in natural selection, even in modern life. The reason diarrhea is seen as a force of natural selection is because how it can cause dehydration. This is mostly true in those who had cholera, which is an infection of the small intestine and is often fatal. Cholera manipulates the body to suit its own purpose. Once in the body it produces toxins that make the “intestine's cells leaky.” This results in the expulsion of traces of cholera (“gives the cholera bacteria a ride into the world, so that they can find another hapless victim.”), but also gets rid of the good bacteria in our bodies that are trying to fight off the infection.
Even though with a deadly infection like cholera diarrhea does not seem to be any help, it is beneficial in the long run. What I mean by this is it helps us get rid of what is making us sick or sends up a red flag that something is wrong. Shigella bacteria for example, this is an intestinal disease that can cause diarrhea to become bloody. But, unlike cholera, this is not deadly and mild cases can clear up on their own within a week, all thanks to diarrhea. In cases like this the body contracts the muscles of the gut “in an attempt to flush out the bacteria as quickly as possible.” It is when drugs, like Lomotil, that decreases this contraction can the infection be prolonged.
It now seems to be common knowledge of why people get sick, and this is all thanks to Darwinian medicine, or evolutionary medicine whose goal is “to understand why people get sick, not simply how they get sick.” Everything from the benefits (or drawbacks) of diet, exercise, even being clean can be thanks to this type of medical study. So, a way to steer clear of coming down with diarrhea is to make sure your water is not contaminated, make sure food is well prepared, and just...wash your hands to avoid giving yourself, or someone else diarrhea. This is why the most common ages of those who get shigella infection are those between 2 and 4 years.
Well, was this not a fun but slightly disgusting and...paranoid inducing fact? I really hope I have not made some of you readers paranoid. Look on the bright side, if you have not had diarrhea for years, you are leading a good clean life. If you have an itching to get to the bottom of a small fact that has been festering in your mind, or if you have a blog topic you would like me to cover, or if you would just like to express your thoughts on this first Fun Fact Friday, please feel free to comment below.
Even though with a deadly infection like cholera diarrhea does not seem to be any help, it is beneficial in the long run. What I mean by this is it helps us get rid of what is making us sick or sends up a red flag that something is wrong. Shigella bacteria for example, this is an intestinal disease that can cause diarrhea to become bloody. But, unlike cholera, this is not deadly and mild cases can clear up on their own within a week, all thanks to diarrhea. In cases like this the body contracts the muscles of the gut “in an attempt to flush out the bacteria as quickly as possible.” It is when drugs, like Lomotil, that decreases this contraction can the infection be prolonged.
It now seems to be common knowledge of why people get sick, and this is all thanks to Darwinian medicine, or evolutionary medicine whose goal is “to understand why people get sick, not simply how they get sick.” Everything from the benefits (or drawbacks) of diet, exercise, even being clean can be thanks to this type of medical study. So, a way to steer clear of coming down with diarrhea is to make sure your water is not contaminated, make sure food is well prepared, and just...wash your hands to avoid giving yourself, or someone else diarrhea. This is why the most common ages of those who get shigella infection are those between 2 and 4 years.
Well, was this not a fun but slightly disgusting and...paranoid inducing fact? I really hope I have not made some of you readers paranoid. Look on the bright side, if you have not had diarrhea for years, you are leading a good clean life. If you have an itching to get to the bottom of a small fact that has been festering in your mind, or if you have a blog topic you would like me to cover, or if you would just like to express your thoughts on this first Fun Fact Friday, please feel free to comment below.
RSS Feed
