通常人們想到的所謂”可怕的生物”,應該是相當巨大、或者含有劇毒的,但其實有時候極其細微的生物反而會讓你打從心底覺得毛骨悚然,像是體積細小、長相卻相當可怕的”非洲眼蟲 (African Eye Worm) “。
非洲眼蟲 (也被稱作loa loa worm) 主要最常在西非國家被發現,這是一種相當煩人的寄生蟲,每年大約有數百萬人被感染,以下是顯微鏡中非洲眼蟲的模樣,或許感覺還好,但真的在人體看見時你絕對會大吃一驚…

Broad Institute
人們通常是經由芒果蠅 (Mango Fly) 和鹿蠅 (Deer Fly) 感染非洲眼蟲的,眼蟲會經由蒼蠅的叮咬進入人體、並且倚靠人的血液維生,它們居住在人類的皮膚之下、並且會轉移到身體的其他部位,通常從外觀是看不出來非洲眼蟲的所在位置,但有時移動的眼蟲會造成皮膚底下的腫脹發癢。

Wikipedia
但當眼蟲移動到某一個部位時,就能夠清楚地被看見,那就是眼睛…

Tumblr/mundus-absconditus
當非洲眼蟲移動到眼球時並不會影響視力,只是會引發一些刺激和疼痛感。

Wikipedia
但對於這個寄生蟲,其實有許多方法可以對付得,除了藥物治療以外,必要時也能採取手術來去除。

Imgur
這樣恐怖的病蟲害,也感染了1200萬人到1300萬人之多。
來源:Viralnova
我的天啊…看得我全身發癢了起來,雖然不是什麼致命的病毒,但對我的心靈卻有著強大的破壞力…
(往下還有更多精彩文章!)