To help achieve this, we are sharing 15 basic reference books every surgical technician should own below. They include some well heard of entries, as well as a few the average surgical tech may not know about. There are even several which are available at no cost, which can be helpful to those trying to pay for a surgical tech education.

Free Basic Reference Books Every Surgical Technician Should Own

1. Anatomy of the Human Body
   As every medical student knows, “Gray’s Anatomy” is one of the first and best names in medicine and surgery. In this special section of Bartleby, they share over 1,200 engravings from the original text. With many in color, you can relive the 1918 classic the 2.0 way.
2. The Hippocratic Oath
   The words “first do harm” resound in the minds of doctors and patients alike. In this must read entry, you can see the oath as it was and as it is now. They also have more on the history of the oath dating back to Greek times.
3. The Germ Theory
   It wasn’t too long ago that patients died of infections and left their doctors baffled. In this free public domain book by Louis Pasteur, the theory of germs and the applications to medicine and surgery are discussed. It is part of a scientific paper series and free to read on Bartleby.
4. A Manual of the Operations of Surgery
   Those who don’t know will be interested to learn that the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes was a man named Dr. Joseph Bell. In this free eBook, he outlines the basics of surgery for students, surgeons, and junior practitioners. The folks at Many Books even give you a host of different formats to choose from.
5. Gray’s Anatomy for Students
   Get a modernized version of the classic text here. Three authors team up to share more on the human anatomy. There is also more for medical students on this blog.
6. On the Antiseptic Principle of the Practice of Surgery
   With Project Gutenberg offering tons of free eBooks on many subjects, click here. Simply scroll down to Volume 38 of the Harvard Classics to read more about surgery as it was. The same verse also contains topics on cardiology, vaccination, and other science.
7. The People’s Common Sense Medical Adviser
   Think how your patients think with the help of this free book. By R. V. Pierce, it is about how the health of a people is based on the prosperity of a nation. The folks at this site also have a free audio preview.
8. Current Diagnosis and Treatment Surgery
   This is an excellent source of updated, authoritative, and concise information on diseases encountered in general surgery. It contains references linked to recent journals, a comprehensive index, and loads of informative illustrations. Get it in its 13th edition from eBooks Download, as well as a few other books on medicine.

Paid Basic Reference Books Every Surgical Technician Should Own

9. Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist
   There are few books out there specifically for the surgical technologist, but this is one of them. The newer, fifth version meets the requirements of the revised Core Curriculum for Surgical Technologists. It contains over 95 procedures, information on equipment and supplies, and much more. Twenty-four chapters are available on everything from sutures to neurosurgery.
10. The ABSITE Review
    If you are a surgical technician facing the American Board of Surgery’s In-Training Examination, you’ll need all the help you can get. The book’s emphasis on surgery and diseases has a relevant anatomical basis. Dr. Mark Yoffe has more on why he recommends it here.
11. The ICU Book
    Any surgical technician looking to work even for a short period of time in the intensive care unit should check out this book. Edited by Paul Marino, it is in its third edition and well reviewed by the blogger at ICU Care Blog. They loved the book for its free flowing language that is general but with enough detail to address the issues of the ICU.
12. Pocket Guide to the Operating Room
    Many new and experienced surgeons have recommended this book, both overseas and locally. This Australian seller tells all on the book which contains information on over 500 procedures. You can also purchase it through local book sellers.
13. The Surgical Intern Pocket Survival Guide
    Similar to the above, this is a pocket guide for those studying surgery. However, this one was good enough to be recommended by the medical students at UCSF. There are also other book reviews on the site.
14. Emergency War Surgery
    If planning on being a surgical technician in the military, this book is a must. It is about the management of war wounds and is filled with over 150 specially drawn illustrations. It was also reviewed at SHFT Blog, which has more.
15. Heart Valve Surgery
    Both patients and surgical technicians will enjoy this book by a double heart surgery patient. Along with the book, there is also this blog with more on cardio-surgery.

This list is composed alphabetically by surname.

1. Patrick J. Boland: Dr. Boland is a full-time, senior member of the Orthopaedic Service, Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where he specializes in the management of malignant and benign tumors of the bones, including those of the spine and pelvis, and in soft tissue sarcomas of the extremities. He has also authored and co-authored chapters and scientific papers on surgery for tumors of the extremities and the spine.
2. Lorri Cobbins: Dr. Cobbins was among 1,467 doctors worldwide who became fellows of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) at the College’s 96th annual Clinical Congress in Washington, D.C. in 2010. Dr. Cobbins practices aesthetic plastic surgery at Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic and has memberships in several other professional societies related to her interest in cosmetic surgery. While in medical school, Dr. Cobbins was a professional cheerleader for the Saint Louis Rams.
3. Sanjay Gupta: Although most well known for his role as Emmy-award winning chief medical correspondent for CNN, Gupta also is a practicing neurosurgeon. In addition to his work for CNN, Gupta is a member of the staff and faculty at the Emory University School of Medicine. He is associate chief of neurosurgery at Grady Memorial Hospital and regularly performs surgery at Emory University and Grady hospitals. Gupta received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and a doctorate of medicine from the University of Michigan Medical School.
4. Stephen Pap: This plastic and hand surgeon recently joined the staff at Milton Hospital, a clinical affiliate of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center providing community-based health care in Massachusetts. Dr. Pap is also the proud founder and president of Hands Across the World, a non-profit organization that provides specialized surgery for congenital defects and other ailments in underserved areas of the world. Medical missions are hosted in Ecuador, where within one week as many as 90 patients receive surgical care. To date over 1,000 surgeries have been completed.
5. Bohdan Pomahac: This name may be familiar as the surgeon who performed the first full face transplant in the U.S. He is the medical director for the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Burn Center in Boston and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Pomahac performed the first face surgery on March 22, 2011, on a man who experienced an electric shock that removed his face. The Defense Department awarded a $3.4 million grant to the hospital in December 2009 to fund five face transplants.
6. Charles B. Ross: Dr. Ross is the University of Louisville Chief of Vascular Surgery, and leads USA Vascular Group in Carotid Artery Stenting. Carotid artery stenting and carotid endarterectomy represent complementary options which are used to treat carotid arterial blockages in the neck to prevent stroke. In addition to the specialty of surgery, Dr. Ross has expertise in 10 areas. This includes vascular lower extremity ischemia, cerebrovascular surgery, renovascular disease plus others.
7. David Satcher: Dr. David Satcher is Interim President of the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the 16th Surgeon General of the United States, sworn in on February 13, 1998, and served a 4-year term. Dr. Satcher is a former Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar and Macy Faculty Fellow. He is the recipient of many honorary degrees and numerous distinguished honors. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Preventive Medicine, and American College of Physicians.
8. Margaret L. Schwarze: Dr. Schwarze was one of two applicants chosen for the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies fellowship in 2010. Not only is Schwarze a surgeon, but she also is a clinical bioethicist — or, a person who works on clinical issues in hospitals specifically studying how doctors interact with their patients and how they make decisions regarding life threatening illnesses. Dr. Schwarze is an assistant professor in the Division of Vascular Surgery at the University of Wisconsin’s Department of Surgery.
9. Christopher Segler: Dr. Segler was awarded a patent in 2006 for his invention of the Tarsal Joint Space Distractor, an improved dual axis surgical retractor for use by orthopedic surgeons or podiatric surgeons for controlled distraction of tarsal joints (the small joints in the foot) or compression of osseus fragments (the foot bones). Dr. Segler is a rock climber, skier, marathon runner, and Ironman triathlete, and is part of the San Francisco Bay Area’s Ankle & Foot Center.
10. Allan Stewart: Dr. Stewart, director of the Aortic Surgery Program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, provides expertise in all types of chronic and acute aortic problems, including valve-sparing aortic root replacement. A stentless biological aortic root-valve conduit that he developed, known as the “Stewart Procedure,” is gaining widespread use because of its advantages over other methods of replacing the aortic root.
11. Sai Yendamuri: An assistant professor in the Department of Surgical Oncology and Thoracic Oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI), Dr. Yendamuri has been awarded a $555,103 grant from the U.S. Army to develop a way to help predict which lung-cancer patients are more likely to have their cancer recur after surgery. Dr. Yendamuri plans to explore the potential of using microRNA profiling as a biomarker for non-small-cell lung cancer. Separating the tumor’s epithelial and stromal components using laser-capture dissection, rather than using whole-tumor tissue, will be key to the marker’s novelty.

Surgical Technologist and Medical Tech Jobs

These web sites focus on surgical technician jobs. They provide job listings, as well as helpful career advice in some cases.

1. Association of Surgical Technologists: This professional organization features a career center on its web site. The career center includes job listings.
2. Surgical Tech Success: You can find career help and advice, as well as job listings, on this web site.
3. iHireMedTechs: This site is a great place to go to find surgical tech jobs, as well as other jobs aimed at medical technicians.
4. Get Surgical Tech Jobs: You can find job openings with the help of this rather simple job search site.
5. Medical Tech Jobs: Includes surgical tech jobs as well as med tech and lab jobs.
6. Medical Technologist Jobs: Search for jobs in medical technology. Also includes surgical tech jobs.
7. Medical Technologist Jobs: Career resources, hints, and job listings for a number of technologist jobs.

Medical and Health Care Jobs

Sometimes, you can find what you are looking for if you visit job boards and web sites aimed at general health care jobs. You might also be able to find jobs with out “surgical tech” titles, but that you are qualified for.

8. Medical Workers: Check out the surgical technician jobs section of this health careers web site.
9. Health Career Web: Includes a number of surgical tech job listings, as well as other job listings related to health care and medicine.
10. AllHealthCareJobs: This site aims to help you find a job — no matter your health care field. Surgical techs can find openings.
11. Absolutely Health Care: Aimed at helping you find jobs in health care. Browse jobs, and look for surgical tech openings.
12. 50 States Staffing: This site helps you find travel health care jobs. Includes surgical technology jobs.
13. Jobs in Hospitals: The perfect site to start at if you are looking for a hospital job. Surgical techs can find listings from across the country.
14. Health eCareers Network: It all about using the Internet to find a job in health care and medicine. A great resource for surgical techs and others.
15. Advance for Health Care Careers: Find job listings for a number of health care related jobs. A great place to begin a search for medical tech jobs.
16. HealthcareRecruitment: Job site aimed at helping you find a health care job. You should be able to find surgical tech jobs as well.
17. Med Travelers: A number of jobs related to health care. Aimed mostly at traveling health care professionals.
18. Healthcare Jobs: The career center can help you learn more about making yourself marketable, and there are thousands of job openings, including surgical tech.
19. HealthcareJobsite: Search jobs, including surgical tech jobs, in various health care fields.
20. JobsInHealthcare: Find surgical tech job openings as you search through thousands of health care jobs.
21. Med Hunting: Just what it sounds like, this site is devoted to the job hunt for health care professionals.
22. JobJobHealth: Look for surgical tech jobs when you search thousands of available jobs on this medical job site.
23. Hospital Jobs Online: Find jobs in various hospitals around the country. A great place to find employment.
24. HealthcareCrossing: Employment crossing offers a job search service for health care jobs — including surgical tech jobs.

General Job Web Sites

You can also do a search of the big name — and less well known — job listing sites. Many of these sites have surgical tech listings, as well as other health care jobs.

25. Indeed: This web site offers listings of surgical tech jobs available across the country.
26. Simply Hired: Search surgical technologist jobs around the country, from a number of health systems.
27. Jobs.com: Browse different job availabilities, and look for surgical tech jobs. You can also find helpful career advice and tips.
28. QuikLoop: Find a number of surgical technnologist opportunities.
29. JobsRadar: Nationwide openings for a number of jobs, including surgical tech jobs.
30. SmartHunt: Look for jobs, including surgical tech jobs. A great place to start your researches into a new job.
31. LatPro: Diversity job fairs and a search engine that can help you find employment as a surgical tech.
32. Job Circle: Includes a number of jobs around the U.S. You can also find surgical technologist jobs.
33. CareerBuilder: One of the premier job search sites. You can find almost any job on this site, including surgical technician.
34. Thingamajob.com: Find some great job opportunities around the country. Includes surgical tech jobs and other health care jobs.
35. JobMonkey: Search thousands of jobs, including a number of surgical tech jobs that can provide you with opportunities.
36. SnagAJob.com: You can look for jobs all around the country. Includes medical jobs like surgical technician.
37. Yahoo HotJobs: Find the latest job listings. You can look for medical jobs, and surgical tech jobs.
38. Hound: Use this job search engine to narrow your hunt to surgical tech jobs. A great way to find unadvertised jobs as well.
39. Job-Hunt.org: Thousands of employers post jobs here. You can also take advantage of networking resources.
40. Employment Guide: Find career help resources, apply for jobs, and search. Includes a section for health care jobs.

The following list is compiled in alphabetical order by title, and includes a wide variety of surgeries from cosmetic procedures to life-saving brain surgery.

1. Actual Neck Liposuction Procedure: Dr. Salzman, a top Louisville, Kentucky cosmetic surgeon, demonstrates a neck liposuction from beginning to end. Dr. Salzman is an assistant professor of plastic surgery at the University of Louisville, president of the Kentucky Society of Plastic Surgeons (2008), originator of the Ageless Minilift™ and Liteshape™ procedures and inventor of the patent pending Ouchless Needle™.
2. Beating Heart Surgery: Beating heart or “off pump” coronary artery surgery is the latest revolution in managing coronary disease. Increasing numbers of surgeons worldwide are embracing the subtle, yet reduced, mortality rate offered by this technique. A cardiac stabilizer is mandatory for this surgery, but most are single-use only and very expensive; the one shown in this video is multiple use and is saving many healthcare dollars.
3. Best Hospitals — Brain Surgery at Johns Hopkins: Dr. Benjamin Carson performs risky brain surgery on young Payton to remove a brain tumor. Dr. Carson, director of pediatric neurosurgery, is just one of the many reasons why Johns Hopkins Children’s Center was recently ranked #1 in neurology and neurosurgery in America’s Best Children’s Hospitals 2008.
4. Gastric Bypass Surgery: Watch as Dr. Jawad performs a laparoscopic roux-en-y gastric bypass surgery, with audio commentary describing the procedure. Dr. Jawad, located in central Florida, has been performing bariatric surgery since 1984 and laparoscopic bariatric surgery since 1999. He has completed over 2000 bariatric surgical cases safely, and with great success.
5. GERD Surgery: Some surgical procedures are animated, as filming them may be difficult to accomplish. This 3D medical animation on GERD Surgery shows how the upper portion of the stomach is wrapped around the lower esophagus to strengthen the cardiac sphincter of the stomach. This helps prevent GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), or heartburn. Hiatal hernia repair is also depicted. This involves pulling a portion of the stomach that has protruded from the diaphragm back into place.
6. Hernia Repair Surgery: Watch an educational video account of actual hernia repair surgery with Dr. David Albin, as well as general hernia information and information on this hernia surgeon and his facility. Dr. Albin is the Medical Director for the Hernia Center of Southern California and the Pasadena Surgery Center, LLC. Hernia repair involves surgery to correct an abnormal bulging of internal organs, often the intestine, through a weakness in a muscular wall (hernia).
7. How is Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Performed? Dr. Kevin Soh explains endoscopic sinus surgery using an example from a real case. Patients and medical personnel can view the different stages of the operation as seen during live surgery. Dr Soh has more than 23 years of experience in providing patients with ear, nose, throat and sinus care. He has also done many head, neck and thyroid surgeries as well as treating adults and children with snoring/sleep disorders.
8. Modern Cataract Surgery: This is an example of small-incision cataract and intraocular lens implant surgery as viewed through the operating microscope. It uses a one-handed technique, which can be very helpful in certain cases, especially for “soft” cataracts. The recovery time for intraocular lens surgery is relatively short. In most circumstances, patients should return for a follow-up visit within 24 hours of receiving the intraocular lens implant.
9. My Lasik Eye Surgery: A patient uploaded a video of his successful Lasik eye surgery. The patient reported that he was age 26 at the time of the surgery, and that he did not experience halos, pain or complications. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) data show that, although approximately 12 million people have had Lasik in the past 10 years, only 140 complaints have been filed with the agency. The FDA is partnering with the National Eye Institute and and U.S. Department of Defense on a large, multi-site prospective study on patient satisfaction and quality of life after Lasik.
10. New Cervical Disc Replacement: St. Vincents Spine & Brain Institutes Medical Director for Neurosurgery, Eric Gabriel, M.D., FACS, performed the first ProDisc Cervical Total Disc Replacement at St. Vincents Medical Center. Until now, the only alternative surgery was a spinal fusion, which involved fusing bones together by implanting bone grafts and metal plates and screws. This surgery took 60 minutes and was performed with a small incision in front of the neck to get to the unhealthy disc, then replacing that disc with an artificial disc that allows for continued range of motion.
11. Right Hemicolectomy Surgery: This video illustrates a right hemicolectomy (removal) of the colonic colon, including a resection and anstomosis, or connection of two structures, of the intestines. This is a surgical procedure to repair cancer treatment cecal new growth. The cecum is a pouch that lies on the right side of the abdomen.
12. See a live surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a very common condition that causes numbness and tingling in the hand. It is caused by compression of the median nerve in the carpal (wrist) tunnel. If gone untreated, it can cause serious hand weakness and potentially permanent numbness in the fingers and thumb. Watch this video as orthopaedic hand surgeon, Andrew E. Caputo, MD, performs a carpal tunnel release. Dr. Caputo practices hand surgery and orthopedic surgery in Hartford, Connecticut.
13. Trigger Finger Surgery: Dr Stephen Troum, a member of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH), takes you through an actual surgery for trigger finger. Dr Troum describes the procedure as it is being performed and provides insight into the anatomy and causation of trigger finger — a condition that affects the tendons in fingers or thumbs that can limit finger movement.

Consumer Sites

There are a number of medical research sites that focus on news with the consumer in mind. These sites can be useful in finding the latest headlines, and getting some analysis.

1. WebMD: This is the granddaddy of consumer medical research news sites, offering stories about the latest research headlines.
2. Healthline: Another great consumer site offering medical research news. A great research for summaries of the latest research.
3. SciCentral: Offers a look at different headlines related to health science and medicine.
4. Medical News Today: Research headlines and links to the latest studies, as well as information on devices and happenings.
5. PhysOrg: This science web site includes a look at medical research headlines. Includes a look at medical technology.
6. ScienceDaily: Medical research headlines for the science of human health.
7. MedicineWorld.org: Considers different medical research headlines and news.
8. Medical Device Daily: Looks at the latest research news related to medical devices and technology.
9. medtechinsider: Updates, headlines and news on the development of medical devices, technology and more.
10. Dr. Weil: Offers a look at different research headlines. Especially focused on natural and complementary medicine.
11. Medical Breakthroughs: Provides access to interesting research headlines related to the latest breakthroughs in medicine and health.
12. Medgadget.com: Research and news related to interesting new medical technology and gadget designed to make our lives healthier.
13. BioSpace: Includes research news and information especially related to pharma.
14. eMedicineHealth: Offers a look at research headlines, and study summaries. Includes the latest happenings.
15. Consumer Health Digest: A look at the research news making headlines. Includes information to help you be a better health consumer.
16. HealthScout: Offers news, headlines and more involving the latest medical research.
17. Bio-IT  World: Medical research headlines and information. A wide range of research subjects and news from around the biology and technology fields.

Government Sites

Medical research news and information web sites offered by government organizations can be of great help. These sites are often reliable, and offer an official view of medical advancements.

18. NIH Research Matters: Offers a weekly round up of medical research headlines from the National Institutes of Health.
19. CDC: If you are looking for headlines, news and research, the Centers for Disease Control site is a great place to go.
20. Health Canada: The Canadian government offers a site that allows you to find news about medical research and happenings. A great place to start if you are interested in learning more about health.
21. National Health and Medical Research Council: Australia’s government offers this helpful look at different medical research headlines.
22. European Commission Research: Consider the research projects of the EU, including medical and health research.
23. Medical Research Council: This council is funded by the U.K. government, and provides helpful news headlines on the latest research.
24. ClinicalTrials.gov: A great site that offers information on clinical trials, and medical research.
25. World Health Organization: Includes medical research news, and other headlines related to the state of health around the world.

Universities, Clinics and Other Organizations

A number of universities and clinics offer good, reliable information about health and medicine. Additionally, there are a number of non-profit and for-profit organizations that offer medical research news. Find research updates and more on these sites.

26. Mayo Clinic: This respected clinic offers research news and more.
27. Johns Hopkins Medicine: Research headlines from Johns Hopkins renowned medicine program.
28. Harvard Health: News headlines and research from Harvard.
29. Duke Medicine Health News: Includes stories on studies, research and more.
30. University of Utah School of Medicine: Includes research news and highlights that can provide you with interesting insight.
31. Stanford School of Medicine: Find out about the latest medical research from Stanford and around the world.
32. Tufts University School of Medicine: Learn more about what is happening with medical research, as well as other interesting subjects.
33. Oxford University Medical School: Look at the research going on at Oxford, and around the world.
34. UCL Medical School: Includes information on research and more.
35. University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine: Offers information on research headlines at Cambridge.
36. Kaiser Family Foundation: This non-profit organization offers helpful medical research headlines and other health news.
37. Society for Women’s Health Research: Interesting medical research headlines and studies with a special focus on women’s health.
38. Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research: Look at the different medical research headlines posted on this site.

Medical Research Publications

If you are looking for peer reviewed information about medical research and breakthroughs, consider visiting these sites regularly.

39. PubMed: Access to the latest articles and studies related to medicine.
40. Medscape: Get full access to medical research journal articles, news headlines and more.
41. New England Journal of Medicine: Research, studies, commentary and more related to medicine and health.
42. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association is a great place to look when you are interested in the latest medical research news.
43. Journal Watch: A great site that offers access to the latest medical research news from journals around the world.
44. British Medical Journal: Articles, news and more related to the world of medical research.
45. The Lancet: One of the premier medical journals in the world, you can read medical research news, and learn about the latest peer reviewed findings.
46. Free Medical Journals: Find different medical research news headlines, and articles, from different journals from around the world. Free to read the latest articles.
47. Annals of Internal Medicine: Learn about the latest medical research news related to internal medicine. Access to a great deal of interesting information.
48. Pediatrics: As you might imagine, this medical research news site focuses on pediatric medicine.
49. Canadian Medical Association Journal: A look at medical research, and the latest happenings and breakthroughs.
50. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine: Interesting studies, articles and medical research news.

The following list represents just a handful of surgeons who have created impacts on society, and this list is pertinent to the 21st century. The individuals are listed in alphabetical order by surname.

1. Dr. David Altchek has pioneered sports medicine while treating top professional athletes from around the country. He is an attending orthopaedic surgeon and co-chief in the Sports Medicine & Shoulder Service at Hospital for Special Surgery, professor of Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, the medical director for the New York Mets and a medical consultant for the NBA. He has won several awards for his work in one of the fastest-growing fields in orthopedics.
2. Dr. James Andrews is an orthopedic surgeon who practices at the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama. He also practices at the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Gulf Breeze, Florida. Andrews is known as the “most valuable doctor in sports,” and is considered one of the foremost surgeons in the United States for knee, elbow, and shoulder injuries.
3. Dr. Leonard Bailey is Surgeon-In-Chief for the Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital and is known internationally for placing the heart of a baboon into “Baby Fae’s” chest to save her from a severe heart defect. She lived 21 days, which was a vast improvement over the expected 2-10 day life expectancy. LLUCH’s 500th pediatric heart transplant was performed on 8 July 2009, just shy of 25 years from Dr. Bailey’s first heart transplant.
4. Dr. Lance Becker has received numerous national awards and recognition for his work and leadership, and he is a newly recruited Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He was the founder and Director of the Emergency Resuscitation Center at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory, an interdisciplinary team of investigators focused on understanding and treating sudden death from cardiac arrest and from traumatic injuries.
5. Dr. Gerald Buckberg is a world-recognized pioneer in the development of life-saving heart surgery techniques. An author of more than 400 publications, he’s the 2007 recipient of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery Scientific Achievement Award. His research made it possible for surgeons to stop the heart, preserve heart tissue and restart the heart after complex surgery, as well as reconstruct the heart after major heart attacks where cardiac muscle is saved and recovers function.
6. Dr. John C. Chiu is a pioneer in the field of minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS), and has lectured and performed spine surgeries throughout the world. He is the President of California Spine Institute Medical Center and the founding chairman of American Academy of Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery and Medicine (AAMISMS). He serves as the Provost of the American International University and President, ISMISS/SICOT (International Society of Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery).
7. Dr. Michael DeBakey (1908-2008) began his career when open-heart surgery didn’t exist and many cardiovascular problems were untreatable. He received numerous awards in the last ten years of his life, including the NASA Invention of the Year Award in 2001 for his DeBakey Ventricular Assist Device (VAD), a miniature device implanted into the heart to increase blood flow for those suffering from congestive heart failure.
8. Dr. William C. DeVries implanted the first permanent artificial heart in Seattle dentist Barney Clark, and he’s now one of the oldest officers to graduate from the Army Medical Department Basic Officer course. He currently serves in the Division of Cardiac & Thoracic Surgery, Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
9. Dr. Atul Gawande is a staff member of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and the New Yorker magazine. In 2006, Dr. Gawande received the MacArthur Award for his research and writing topics in areas ranging from surgical technique, to US military care for the wounded, to error and performance in medicine. He also is the director of the World Health Organization’s Global Challenge for Safer Surgical Care.
10. Dr. John D. Gearhart is a stem-cell research pioneer and a Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of the University’s Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Much of his research career focused on how genes regulate the formation of tissues and embryos. For the last 20 years he has attempted to determine the exact causes of mental retardation and other birth defects in Down’s Syndrome. He is an advocate for federal funding for further embryonic stem cell research.
11. Dr. Sanjay Gupta may be the most recognized name on this list. As CNN chief medical correspondent and associate chief of neurosurgery at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, GA, Dr. Gupta has used his medical expertise to raise awareness about health and wellness issues impacting people around the world. Children’s Law Center honored Dr. Gupta with the 2010 Distinguished Child Advocate Award at its Annual Helping Children Soar Benefit.
12. Dr. Charles Koh was presented with the 2009 Distinguished Surgeon Award by the Society of Reproductive Surgeons (SRS), during the 65th Annual Meeting of the ASRM in Atlanta in recognition of his many contributions to the field of reproductive surgery. Dr. Koh specializes in advanced laparoscopic surgery and has created many innovations and techniques to further the field over the past three decades.
13. Dr. Mehmet Oz is a cardiothoracic surgeon, author, television personality and the celebrity of the Dr. Oz Show. Time magazine ranked Oz 44th on its list of the 100 Most Influential People in 2008 and Esquire magazine placed him on its list of the 75 Most Influential People of the 21st Century. He also was listed in “Doctors of the Year” by Hippocrates magazine and in “Healers of the Millennium” by Healthy Living magazine.
14. Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa is an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery and Oncology, Neuroscience and Cellular and Molecular Medicine at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland. Most recently, Dr. Quiñones was honored with a grant from the National Institute of Health for his work with stem cells and cancer. His awards include being named one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in 2008.
15. Dr. Rubén A. Quintero pioneered the selective laser surgery technique to treat Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) and the staging classification of TTTS that is used worldwide. He is the director of the Fetal Therapy Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Women’s Hospital Center and the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
16. Dr. David A. Silver is a pioneer in the application of robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgical techniques to Urologic procedures. He currently treats patients with urologic malignancies, including tumors of the adrenal glands, kidneys, bladder, prostate, and testicles, as well as tumors of the pelvis, retroperitoneum, and genitalia at Maimonides Medical Center in New York.

Head and Brain

1. The average adult brain weighs just under 3 pounds and is the consistency of tofu.
2. Although multitaskers are extremely confident in their abilities, evidence exists that shows those people are actually worse at multitasking than most people.
3. When considering an action that would affect others, teens were less likely than adults to use the medial prefrontal cortex, an area associated with empathy and guilt.
4. Overall, over time, human brains have shrunk. But, brain size has nothing to do with intellect.
5. According to one calculation, the average human head contains 456 trillion trillion atoms.
6. The brain accounts for about 2 percent of body weight, but it uses about 20 percent of the oxygen in our blood and 25 percent of the glucose circulating in our bloodstream.
7. The old saw that we use just 10 percent of our brainpower isn’t true. We use every part of our brain, even in daily functions.
8. The brain actually stores different parts of a memory in different locations.
9. It turns out that both true and false memories activate similar brain regions.

Emotions and Your Body

10. Babies, who have no sense of social norms or how they are perceived by others, do not blush.
11. Humans are the only species known to blush, a behavior Darwin called “the most peculiar and the most human of all expressions.”
12. Optimists live longer and have lower overall death rates than strong pessimists.
13. No matter your cultural background, if you sob, scream or growl, others are likely to know what you mean, according to a new study.
14. A well-known side effect of Botox is the inability to fully express emotions. Now research reveals another side effect: the inability to fully feel emotions.
15. People who are happy are less likely to catch colds and report fewer symptoms of the illness when they are under the weather.
16. According to one scientist, a “very large part” of our brains is devoted to dealing with immediate threats, but a “very small part” is concerned about planning for the future.
17. Shivers down the spine even show up in brain scans, according to research at McGill University.
18. Contrary to popular notions about what is normal or healthy, new research has found that it is OK not to express one’s thoughts and feelings after experiencing a collective trauma, such as a school shooting or terrorist attack.
19. Squinty eyes and a pinched nose are the facial signals for disgust, the opposite of flared nostrils and widened eyes that reveal fear.

Hair and Nails

20. A fingernail grows 1/8 inch per month and can grow up to four inches per year.
21. Your fingernails and hair do not continue to grow after death. It appears they grow, as the skin around them contracts.
22. A study of 117 male members of the brainy society Mensa (you have to have an IQ of over 140 to join) showed that Mensa members had a tendency to thicker body hair — and the most intelligent had hair on their backs as well as on their chests.
23. Beards grow faster in spring, possibly indicating a seasonal variation in androgen (male hormone) production.
24. A recent study suggests that hair keratins evolved first in our bird and reptile ancestors. In the case of the anole lizard, the hair-keratin genes were used for forming claws and possibly their body scales.
25. Fingernails are, essentially, flattened forms of claws.
26. Previous studies have shown that human hair discarded from barbershops and hair salons can be a nutrient source for plants when combined with other compost materials.
27. Curly hair gets less tangled than straight hair.
28. Poor circulation to the legs (caused by narrowing of the arteries) can eventually lead to loss of leg hair.
29. If you’ve ever wondered how hair clogs up your pipes so quickly, then consider this: hair cannot be destroyed by cold, change of climate, water, or other natural forces and it is resistant to many kinds of acids and corrosive chemicals.

Bodily Gases and Fluids

30. The sound you hear when you crack your knuckles is actually the sound of gas bubbles bursting.
31. Men are sweatier than women, even when you take body size into account.
32. Sudden hearing loss could occur because of a stroke or severe ear infection. But, in many cases, it’s merely the result of wax buildup.
33. There are basically two kinds of earwax, wet and dry. Researchers studying earwax genetics say that people with the wet kind generally have more unpleasant armpit odor than people with the dry kind.
34. Some experts believe that our attempts to hold gas in are an unnatural result of our enclosed lifestyles and the build-up of pressure is responsible for bowel diseases.
35. In the 1960s, NASA was worried that a build-up of hydrogen from astronauts’ gas might accidentally explode in the spacecraft.
36. Heat released by the human body in one hour can boil 5 liters of water in one hour.
37. The human body glows with faint light and faces glow more than the rest of the body.
38. NASA’s new plan for a water-recovery system recycles not only condensed water vapor and trace contaminants from crew perspiration and respiration, but from urine as well.
39. Women who smell androstadienone contained in men’s sweat experience increased positive mood, total physiological arousal and sexual arousal, which grows with longer exposure.
40. Your salivary glands churn out about two to four pints (one to two liters) of spit every day.

Other Body Oddities

41. Death is one of the side effects of a continued lack of sleep.
42. Women who slept five or less hours a night were twice as likely to suffer from hypertension than women who slept for seven or more hours.
43. Most humans in any society (say 70 percent to 95 percent) are right-handed; a minority (say 5 percent to 30 percent) are left-handed, and an indeterminate number of people are probably best described as ambidextrous.
44. The symptoms of restless legs had been noted by Dr Thomas Willis as far back as 1685.
45. Recent research has found that varicose veins are more common in men than in women.
46. The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in your body, and can withstand more than 1,000 pounds of force, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS).
47. The outline or the border of your lips (called the vermilion border) is a special feature of humans only.
48. Hiccups may be a throwback to 370 million years ago, when our ancient ancestors lived in the ocean and breathed with gills as well as lungs.
49. Garlic rubbed into the soles of the feet can be detected later in the breath.
50. Someone who was born blind experiences sounds, smells, and sensations while dreaming, but since the brain possesses no visual information, the dreams are not visual.

1. John Heysham Gibbon: One of the most famous surgeons in history is John Heysham Gibbon. Gibbon was born in 1903 and died in 1973. Gibbon followed in the footsteps of a long line of medical doctors. He was known for the invention of the heart-lung machine, and for being the first to perform open heart surgery. Gibbon served in World War II, as well as being a well-known surgeon.
2. Joseph Lister: One of the biggest advancements in the history of surgery was the introduction of sterility to medicine. While many thought that “bad air” was the cause of infection, Joseph Lister observed that other issues may be at work. He introduced the idea of sterilizing surgical instruments with carbolic acid (which is now referred to as phenol), as well as using antiseptics to clean wounds.
3. Frederic E. Mohs: One of the biggest breakthroughs in cancer research was that made by Frederic E. Mohs. While a medical student at the University of Wisconsin — Madison, Mohs developed the Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS) technique. This technique is used to remove skin cancer lesions. The technique pioneered by this famous surgeon is so effective that the cure rate is close to 100% for some conditions. It is a technique still widely in use today in order to help those with skin cancer.
4. Gavril Ilizarov: This surgeon is known for his work with bone growth. Gavril Ilizarov was born in what is now known as Belarus, and grew up in what is now Azerbaijan. He worked in rural hospitals for a good portion of his career. Ilizarov’s specialty was orthopedic surgery, and his research into bone development led him to invent the procedure used to this day to reshape or lengthen the bones in legs or arms.
5. Norman Bethune: Surgeon Norman Bethune was born in Canada, and was well known for his contributions to medical science. Bethune served in the Spanish Civil War, as well as in the Second Sino-Japanese War. His main claim to fame, though, is his development of a mobile blood transfusion process. Bethune was a prominent humanitarian who was against war in general (saying it was motivated by profits), and who was an early proponent of universal health care. One of the reasons for this was his annoyance that those whose lives he saved with surgery often became sick due to squalid living conditions and lack of health care.
6. Lars Laksell: If you have been the beneficiary of a radiosurgery treatment, then you have Lars Laksell to thank for it. Laksell was a professor of surgery, as well as a neurosurgeon. He looked to some of the pioneering work done by other neurosurgeons, and even received some inspiration from an apparatus developed for animal experimentation. After making some adjustments, Leksell developed a stereotactic apparatus meant for human neurosurgery — the first device of its kind. Other neurosurgeons have learned from Laksell, and he is concerned a pioneer in the field.
7. Paul Randall Harrington: One of the most well known orthopedic surgeons out there is Paul Randall Harrington. He was offered a basketball scholarship, and that is what made him decide to go to college. A good thing that he decided to attend school; Harrington invented the Harrington Rod, a device that has helped more than one million people. The Harrington Rod is designed to help straighten the spine and keep it immobilized, helping those with scoliosis. Harrington’s rod was in use from the 1960s all the way until the late 1990s.
8. John Hunter: One of the most famous surgeons is John Hunter. Hunter was a Scottish surgeon who lived between 1728 and 1793. Hunter was well known for his contributions to the development of modern surgery. Hunter went to London to be with his brother, and worked with him at an anatomy school. Hunter was known for bringing the scientific method to the practice of surgery. He determined that observation was necessary to understanding what needed to be done for patients, and how to approach surgery from a scientific standpoint. Hunter was also known for his compassion, and often waived fees for his poorer patients.
9. Sanjay Gupta: While he hasn’t invented any amazing techniques, Sanjay Gupta is probably the most well known surgeon alive. He is a practicing neurosurgeon, as well as being a medical correspondent for CNN. Indeed, he has won an Emmy and contributed to the Peabody honor for CNN during Hurricane Katrina. Rumors are that he was offered the post of Surgeon General when Barack Obama took office (he asked to have his name withdrawn from consideration). He is the author of bestselling books, as well as a columnist and health advocate.
10. John Ronald Brown: A more accurate description of this final surgeon on the list is actually “infamous.” John Ronald Brown was the son of a respected doctor and a gifted child. He served in the Army during World War II and scored well enough on the classification test that the Army sent him to medical school. While he qualified as a general practitioner, Brown didn’t manage to pass his exam to qualify as a surgeon. He passed his written tests, but became too nervous during the oral exams. Brown didn’t let that stop him, though. He soon became the go-to guy for transsexual surgery. Brown performed low cost surgeries in garages and other similar places. Many of his patients were maimed. When his medical license was revoked, Brown went to Mexico to continue his career. As a result of his activities, Brown was finally convicted of second-degree murder when one of his patients died.

It may seem strange to devote so much time to looking for the connection between faith and medicine, but there are plenty who devote their time, talents and intellect to answering such questions. Here are 25 intriguing scientific studies about faith, prayer and healing:

Faith and Healing

These studies look at how a patient’s faith might actually help in the healing process. It’s more than just going to a place like Lourdes to become healed. How someone feels about a higher power, and how he or she communes with that higher power, might affect the outcome of an illness or surgery.

1. God’s headquarters: Dr. Michael Persinger has done studies on what happens to the brain when people are in the attitude of prayer and faith, and he links to the ways that personal faith can help the way someone feels, and how they interact with God.
2. Cancer patients: The Southern Medical Journal featured a study from Andrew Weaver and Kevin Flannerly describing how the spirituality of cancer patients determined quality of life during care. Those with faith had a better quality of life than those with out it.
3. Quality of life: Another study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, shows that patients with cancer can experience better quality of life when their spiritual needs are supported by a medical team.
4. Helping patients with faith: “Physicians and Patient Spirituality: Professional Boundaries, Competency, and Ethics,” from the Annals of Internal Medicine, looks at how faith and spirituality can help with coping during times of illness and injury.
5. Depression and faith: Rush University Medical Center published a study in the Journal of Clinical Psychology looking at how faith can actually help protect patients against the symptoms of depression.
6. Faith to fight depression: At MIT, a psychoanalyst gave a talk about using faith to fight depression.

Intercessory Prayer and Healing

A number of studies have been done that seem to show that intercessory prayer can work to help patients overcome illness. These studies look at what happens when others pray for those who are ailing in some manner.

7. Prayer helps heart patients: A Duke University study showed that cardiac patients receiving intercessory prayer in addition to stenting appeared to recover better than those who received coronary stenting alone.
8. Social work and intercessory prayer: At Arizona State University, a review of different studies of intercessory prayer among social workers showed that small positive effects could be produced with the practice.
9. Scientists and intercessory prayer: Brandeis University offered an analysis of decades of research on intercessory prayer and presented, in the Journal of Religion, a study that shows that studies about the practice say more about scientists than whether prayer “works.”
10. Intercessory prayer and belief: This interesting study from The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine looked at how the belief in intercessory prayer affected patients, and found that even though patients didn’t know they were being prayed for, those with belief in prayer saw different results than those with less belief.
11. Intercessory prayer coronary care: Dr. William Harris and his colleagues performed a study in a coronary care unit, and found that those who had been prayed for did better than those who had not been prayed for.
12. Hernia patients and prayer: A study was done that appeared to show that intercessory prayers helped produce better outcomes in some variable related to hernia operation recovery than taped messages of suggestions of accelerated recovery.
13. AIDS and intercessory prayer: Dr. Elisabeth Targ, daughter of a physicist who had studied ESP, published a study alleging that HIV/AIDS patients had better outcomes when prayed for.

Faith, Prayer and Long Life

Does following a faith tradition help lengthen your life and improve your health? Some studies seem to show that if you believe with, and attempt to commune with, a higher power, you might enjoy better health and longer life.

14. Every day life: The University of Toronto conducted a study about how people believe God influences them — and their health and other decisions — in every day life.
15. Prayer and relationships: There are studies that link long life and good health to good relationships. A recent study from Florida State University suggests that praying for someone else can better those relationships.
16. Meditation and health: Stress relief and meditation can aid in your health, and suggests a study from George Mason University, published in Psychological Science, it can also enhance some of your mental abilities.
17. Controlling diabetes with mindfulness: Mindfulness meditation, based on Vipassana Buddhism was shown to help some improve their health, including helping diabetics control their own blood sugar.
18. Senior health and religious involvement: High levels of religious involvement among the elderly were associated with lower levels of depression and disability.
19. Blood pressure and prayer: A study at Duke University found that those who pray regularly and attend religious services often have lower blood pressure than those who don’t.

Studies Suggesting No Link Between Faith, Prayer and Healing

While there are studies that suggest a link between belief in a higher power and healing, there are others that seem to show that such connections do not exist. Here are some studies that might cast doubt on the direct connections between faith, prayer, healing and long life.

20. Cardiac bypass patients and prayer: A study at Harvard found that those who were certain of receiving intercessory prayer during a heart bypass actually had more complications.
21. Faith healing studies are dangerous: Dr. Bruce Flamm writes about his findings that putting to much…faith…in faith healing studies and their dubious outcomes can harm more than help.
22. Child fatalities and religious healing: A study published in Pediatrics looked at the instances of child fatality in sects devoted to faith healing, and found those that shunned medical help in favor of prayer and faith only saw higher deaths.
23. Kings and prayer: Sir Francis Galton, cousin of Charles Darwin, conducted a prayer study, concluding that God doesn’t answer intercessory prayers after discovering that kings who are prayed for live shorter lives than well-to-do, but not royal, people.
24. No scientific basis for intercessory prayer: This study looks at different instances of intercessory prayer, and finds that in controlled trials, the effects of distance intercessory prayer can’t be substantiated.
25. Prayer doesn’t help heart patients: A study at Duke found no benefit from intercessory prayer on heart patients, seeming to contradict an earlier study they claimed showed a difference.

The Worms

Also known as nematodes, worms are the most diverse of all animals. Over 28,000 have been described and over 16,000 of those are parasitic. They are adaptable and have been found everywhere. Parasitic varieties include hookworms, pinworms, whipworms and roundworms, among others.

1. African Eye Worm: This menatode worm (loa loa) causes a skin and eye disease as the worm migrates throughout the subcutaneous tissue. It does not affect vision, but can be painful as the worm migrates. Microfilaria of Loa loa are transmitted by several species of tabanid flies, located mainly in Africa.
2. Anisakis: Anisakiasis is a parasitic infection of the human gastrointestinal tract caused by the consumption of raw or undercooked seafood containing larvae of the nematode Anisakis simplex. It is frequently reported in areas of the world where fish is consumed raw, lightly pickled or salted. Fewer than ten cases occur annually in the United States. To rest your mind (or not), even when thoroughly cooked, A. simplex poses a health risk to humans, but U.S. cases are rare.
3. Blood Flukes: The World Health Organization (WHO) considers infection by this trematode (also called a flatworm or Schistosoma) second only to malaria in terms of infestation. It enters the body through the skin of people who come into contact with infested waters and can live in human veins. Several species of Schistosoma affect humans, mainly in Asia and Africa. Freshwater snails represent the main intermediate hosts. The damage to the human body depends upon the location of the schistosomiasis in the body (lungs, liver, etc.).
4. Hookworm: The hookworm is a parasitic nematode worm that lives in the small intestine of many mammals, including humans. There are no specific symptoms or signs of hookworm infection. Coughing, chest pain, wheezing, and fever will sometimes be experienced by people who have been exposed to very large numbers of larvae. Indigestion, nausea vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea can occur early or in later stages as well, although gastrointestinal symptoms tend to improve with time.
5. Pinworm: This pinworm is a common human intestinal parasite, especially in children. Infection usually occurs through the ingestion of pinworm eggs, either through contaminated hands, food, or less commonly, water. The main symptom includes itching in and around the anus and around the perineum.
6. Roundworms: Roundworms (Ascaris lumbricoides) cause Ascariasis in humans, although infected humans can remain asymptomatic for long periods of time. A heavy worm infestation may cause nutritional deficiency; other complications, sometimes fatal, include obstruction of the bowel by a bolus of worms and obstruction of the bile or pancreatic duct. Humans also can contract trichinosis by eating raw or undercooked pork or wild game infected with a species of roundworm.
7. Tapeworm: Once anchored to the host’s intestinal wall, the tapeworm absorbs nutrients through its skin as the food being digested by the host flows past it. Tapeworm infection is caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with tapeworm eggs or larvae or by eating undercooked beef or pork. Many people with intestinal tapeworm infection have no symptoms.
8. Toxocariasis: Toxocariasis is a zoonotic, helminthic infection of humans caused by the dog or cat roundworm. Transmission of Toxocara to humans is usually through accidental ingestion of infective eggs. Flies that feed on feces can spread Toxocara eggs to surfaces or foods. Eating undercooked rabbit, chicken, or sheep can lead to infection.
9. Whipworm: This is s type of roundworm, which causes trichuriasis when it infects a human large intestine. Infection occurs through accidental ingestion of eggs, which often are found in dry goods such as beans, rice, and various grains. They are found more often in warmer regions.

Other Invasive Parasites

10. Babesia: This is a protozoan parasite that usually is found in animals, but is increasingly diagnosed in humans because of awareness. The disease caused by Babesia, Babesiosis, is spread through the saliva of a tick when it bites, and the symptoms resemble malaria. Babesia can be diagnosed at the trophozoite stage and can be transmitted from human to human either through the tick vector or through blood transfusions.
11. Brain-Eating Amoeba: Naegleria fowleri can invade and attack the human nervous system. N. fowleri propagates in warm, stagnant bodies of freshwater such as contaminated swimming pools and shallow lakes, usually during warm weather. Ingestion into the human body begins when water enters deep into the nose. Infection can spread rapidly, causing primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, with encephalitic symptoms and death within two weeks. Diagnosis is poor — by the time the symptoms have evolved, treatment cannot prohibit the progress.
12. Entamoeba histolytica: Cysts survive outside the host in water, soils and on foods, especially under moist conditions. E. histolytica was found to be transmitted through anal-oral sex as well. Symptoms can include fulminating dysentery, bloody diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue, abdominal pain, and amoeboma — the latter may be mistaken for a carcinoma in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen.
13. Giardia: Go ahead and drink unfiltered unsanitary water or eat contaminated food to help introduce this little fellow into your small intestine. Symptoms include diarrhea, excess gas, stomach or abdominal cramps, upset stomach and/or nausea. Weight loss and dehydration can occur, which can be harmful if not treated immediately.
14. Lice: Officially known as Pediculosis, this is an infestation of lice — blood-feeding ectoparasitic insects. Humans host three different kinds of lice: head lice, body lice and pubic lice (known as “crabs”). The most common symptom of lice infestation is itching. Excessive scratching of the infested areas can cause sores, which may become infected.
15. Scabies: Scabies, also known as “the itch,” is a contagious ectoparasite skin infection characterized by superficial burrows and intense itching and caused by a mite. Scabies is highly contagious and can be spread by scratching and then touching another person’s skin. They can be spread onto other objects like keyboards, toilets, clothing, towels, bedding, furniture, and anything else onto which the mite may be rubbed off, especially if a person is heavily infested.
16. Swimmer’s Itch: This is a short-term, immune reaction occurring in the skin of humans that have been infected by water-borne trematode parasites. Symptoms include itchy, raised papules, and commonly occur within hours of infection and last for about a week. Humans usually become infected with avian schistosomes after swimming in lakes or other bodies of slow-moving fresh water.
17. Ticks: Ticks are external parasites that live on the blood of mammals, birds, and occasionally reptiles and amphibians. Ticks communicate a number of diseases, including Lyme disease, Q fever, Colorado tick fever and other tick-borne diseases. Ticks often are found in tall grass and shrubs where they will wait to attach to a passing host.