This is the unedited first paragraph of an infectious disease specialist's response to an email inquiry from our clinic regarding screening for schistosomiasis, a parasitic tropical disease that typically presents with abdominal pain and diarrhea:
Schistosomiasis is so COOL. I love
those little fellows. They get through your skin, go on safari through
your tissues, and then settle down to raise a family, letting their eggs cruise
out through the intestinal wall or bladder wall to start life anew :
)
I'll bet you've never seen an emoticon used in that context.
Every infectious disease physician and microbiologist I've encountered is that enthusiastic. At the ID conference I attended last fall, every presenter spoke with actual affection for his favourite microbe, announcing that he could talk about the subject all day long and sighing when his time was up.
Exhibit B would be their penchant for bow ties.
Weird that you should post this today. I had to consult 3 ID specialists on a single patient.
Posted by: Liana | 25 February 2009 at 09:39 PM
That's pretty awesome. :)
Posted by: Rita | 26 February 2009 at 11:39 AM
Do they ever talk about how Giardia is the cutest microbe ever? Under a microscope it looks like it has two big googly eyes :D
Posted by: velocibadgergirl | 09 March 2009 at 08:03 PM
Sounds like every conversation I have ever had with a friend who is a parasitologist just finishing a phD. Giardia is kind of cute though, looking up at you.... (Lots of my classmates think I am destined for ID, hmmmmm)
Posted by: dragonfly | 10 March 2009 at 10:48 PM
So very true. Especially the part about the bow ties.
Posted by: Jenny | 13 March 2009 at 10:15 PM