Wild worms can carry parasites and germs that can be harmful. It comes down to the soil conditions they are living in and the environment. Worms that are farm raised for eating are fed pest-free food that helps keeps them clean and parasite-free.
Good Worms
Most worms you'll encounter won't pose any threat to you or your pets. These include earthworms, redworms, nightcrawlers and more.
What is dracunculiasis? Dracunculiasis, also known as Guinea worm disease (GWD), is an infection caused by the parasite Dracunculus medinensis. A parasite is an organism that feeds off another organism to survive.
Worms are mainly spread in small bits of poo from people with a worm infection. Some are caught from food. You can get infected by: touching objects or surfaces with worm eggs on them – if someone with worms does not wash their hands.
Earthworms have many internal parasites, including protozoa, platyhelminthes, and nematodes; they can be found in the worms' blood, seminal vesicles, coelom, or intestine, or in their cocoons.
Can you get diseases from earthworms? “Pathogens that we already know can be carried by worms include E. coli O157 and salmonella. These bacteria can cause severe gastrointestinal infections in humans and are commonly found in soil.
Is it safe to eat worms? Generally, studies show that it's safe to eat most commonly consumed species of worms and other insects ( 3 ). However, some species, such as dragonflies and their larvae, are risky because of the potential for mercury accumulation ( 3 ).
"Earthworms and red wriggler worms are perfectly safe to hold bare-handed, though it's probably prudent to wash your hands before eating your next meal."
Worms breathe through their skin, aided by the layer of mucus that they secrete. If their skin dries out, they die. 2. Worms don't bite.
You can get infected by: touching objects or surfaces with worm eggs on them – if someone with worms doesn't wash their hands. touching soil or swallowing water or food with worm eggs in it – mainly a risk in parts of the world without modern toilets or sewage systems.
Common global water-related diseases caused by parasites include Guinea worm, schistosomiasis, amebiasis, cryptosporidiosis (Crypto), and giardiasis. People become infected with these diseases when they swallow or have contact with water that has been contaminated by certain parasites.
Intestinal worms increase your risk for anemia and intestinal blockages, as well as malnutrition. Complications occur more frequently in older adults and in people who have suppressed immune systems, such as people with HIV/AIDS infection. Intestinal worm infections can pose a higher risk if you're pregnant.
They can affect the lungs, intestines, liver, and other parts of the body. Liver flukes affect the liver, gallbladder, and bile duct. Two types, Clonorchis and Opisthorchis, can enter the body when a person eats contaminated raw or undercooked: fish.
In areas heavily infested by earthworms, soil erosion and leaching of nutrients may reduce the productivity of forests and ultimately degrade fish habitat. Without earthworms a lush forest floor. After earthworms invade, much of the beauty is gone.
The short answer is yes. These squiggly creatures can be eaten raw or cooked, especially for small children who are invariably drawn to earthworms.
Earthworms and red wriggler worms are perfectly safe to hold bare-handed, though it's probably prudent to wash your hands before eating your next meal.
If an annelid is cut in two, they can regenerate to some degree, and in some species you can even end up with two worms. The common earthworm, however, will only regenerate from the tail end; the head end always dies.
Some earthworm species can live up 8 years, but it is very rare for them to survive that long. Most are eaten or killed in some other way before they live for one year.
While you might wish to eliminate earthworms, they are beneficial because they move nutrients around the soil, improve drainage and soil texture, break down organic matter and enrich and aerate soil.
An earthworm does not have a skeleton made up of bones and cartilage to support its body weight and stand erect.
While worms can be eaten raw in an emergency, you should cook them if at all possible. Like most of the things on this list, they can potentially carry parasites—and the parasite potential should motivate you to cook them first. Not to mention the extremely unpleasant prospect of eating a live worm.
Soil-transmitted helminths refer to the intestinal worms infecting humans that are transmitted through contaminated soil (“helminth” means parasitic worm): Ascaris lumbricoides (sometimes called just “Ascaris“), whipworm (Trichuris trichiura), and hookworm (Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus).
What diseases can you get from earthworms? “Pathogens that we already know can be carried by worms include E. coli O157 and salmonella. These bacteria can cause severe gastrointestinal infections in humans and are commonly found in soil.
Nightcrawlers are edible, but they need to be cooked before eating them raw because of the risk that they might contain parasites or bacteria like salmonella.
Called “nature's plows,” earthworms improve garden soil drainage, making it easier for plant roots to penetrate the earth. Earthworm casts also improve soil structure and nutrient availability—which increases garden productivity!