Not all parasites need to directly muck with a host’s brain to make them do their bidding. Take the human parasite Dracunculus medinensis, or guinea worm, for example. These worms, which can grow 2 to 3 feet in length as adults, are ingested as larvae through contaminated food or water. They then mature and mate inside a person’s body. When it’s time for their larvae to go forth into the world, the mother burrows right underneath the skin, triggering an intense burning pain and itch that convinces its host to head for a cooling body of water. Once that happens, the mother releases its millions of eggs. Afterward, it can take weeks for the worm to be (painfully) removed without risking further harm to the person.
Source: gizmodo.com
