One pet-food manufacturer says that 89 percent of all house cats in America sleep with their owners. The more cosmopolitan the city, the greater the proliferation of exotic restaurants. Our fascination with regional foods has led to an increased incidence of parasites. Exotic foods that are prepared raw or undercooked pose a significant parasite risk. The CDC 1976 nationwide survey into parasitic diseases pinpointed a 100 percent increase in tapeworm infections in the preceding ten years.
Tapeworm is transmitted in raw or undercooked fish, beef, and pork.
Antibiotics kill bacteria indiscriminately, both the good and the bad, upsetting the natural ecology of the gastrointestinal tract and vagina. This often leads to yeast overgrowth and trichomoniasis. Trichomonas vaginalis is a microscopic parasite that causes foul-smelling vaginal discharge, burning sensation, and inflammation. In some areas of the United States, this condition is found in 50 percent of all women. It is sexually transmitted and when passed to a male partner can cause non-specific urethritis.