Ligula intestinalis--a tapeworm contraceptive.
Human contraceptives are 'big business', but might the real breakthrough come out from the pharmaceutical industry but from a tapeworm? Ligula intestinalis can induce infertility in infected fish of the carp family - both males and females. If the mechanism for this can be discovered, this humble flatworm could drastically change contraceptive practices with one pill for all.
Arme
Chris
C
Keele University, UK. c.arme@biol.keele.ac.uk
D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001717:Birds; D002589:Cestoda / Q000502:physiology*; D002590:Cestode Infections / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary; D003267:Contraception / Q000379:methods; D033342:Copepoda / Q000469:parasitology; D003530:Cyprinidae / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000469:parasitology*; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D008297:Male