10/30/10 Forget Bedbugs, Miami Beach Has Hookworms

Chicago and New York are currently freaking out about silly little bedbugs. They’ve even hit the United Nations building. Miami Beach has far scarier infestation problems: hookworms! The parasitic pest borrow through people’s skins before eventually finding their way into the small intestine and stomach. They’ve already infected 15 people. Health officials believe that cat poop is the culprit.

Officials have found an apparently alarming amount of cat feces up and down the area of 50th and 65th Streets along the beach. Feces is a common breeding ground for the parasites.

Miami-Dade County Health Officials are not sure if the hookworms have yet invaded the sands of Miami Beach.

Once infected, the parasites may be hard to detect but are treatable. The best advice is to try to avoid them in the first place, which means basically staying away from cat poop and wearing shoes even along a stroll on the sand.

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