Microbial associations with earthworms can be found in any terrestrial soil ecosystem that worms inhabit. Crop rotations, cover crops, manure, fertilizer and lime applications all affect earthworm populations. Earthworms are commonly found in soil, eating a wide variety of organic matter. The Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses offers information relating to zoonotic diseases (diseases transmitted from animals to people), including aspects of human and pet health, infection prevention and control, and vaccination. Despite the urban legend, there have been very few cases when they would try and steal a chicken. in the urine could kill the worms! They could get accidentally trapped or hurt. It is located at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Canada. These organisms live in and feed off a living host, like a human. Parasitic worms in humans are often associated with travel, but you can also get them at home. Pets can carry parasites and pass parasites to people. ... Opossums are night roamers, they find and consume all types of insects, bugs, snails, worms, smaller snakes, mice, rotting dead stuff, fallen fruits. 1 decade ago. Do earthworms carry any diseases or any other harm to humans? Worms breathe through their skin. Avoid housing pet birds in areas where food or drink is prepared, served, or stored, such as kitchens or dining rooms. These animals and insects can carry diseases that can be spread to your pet birds. A study published in the journal Pediatrics in 2006 describes a similar infection of a 16-year-old girl after she ate an earthworm on a dare. Most herbicides do not pose a threat to earthworms. 1 0. zuska m. 1 decade ago. No, they are very important for human agriculture. Proper handwashing can greatly reduce risk. They do not carry diseases. Do worms transmit bacteria that cause diseases (pathogens) to humans? Some pesticides, especially organophosphates and carbamates, are toxic to earthworms. Answer Save. Climatic factors, limited hygiene, and a variety of daily activities including eating habits and obtaining water all contribute to a spectrum of infections caused by worms. For example, a pregnant woman could inhale some of the protozoan and pass the disease on to her fetus, causing birth defects. They do not harm humans. Earthworms tend to thrive most without tillage, if sufficient crop residue is left on the soil surface. They occur worldwide where soil, water, and temperature allow. So they do not carry Lyme disease. Relevance. Lv 7. Cats can carry the disease Taxoplasma gondii. Some of these diseases are very common. A team of researchers led by the University of the West of England has just secured funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) to investigate if nematode worms – including those that are common in the soil and eat bacteria – can spread those same bacteria to humans and animals. This can transfer to humans. They are important to farmers crops. Read More Zoonotic diseases can be caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi. Abstract. An earthworm is a terrestrial invertebrate that belongs to the order Opisthopora.They exhibit a tube-within-a-tube body plan, are externally segmented with corresponding internal segmentation, and usually have setae on all segments. A zoonotic disease is a disease spread between animals and people. 2 Answers. Do not allow your birds to fly or roam around the house without supervision. Environment Moisture Content: Red worms need a moist environment. The litter horizon also serves as protection for seeds that grow to form the understory plant community of a forest -- all the smaller plants and saplings that make up the lower canopy of vegetation near ground level. Favorite Answer. science teacher. , in Ontario, Canada pesticides, especially organophosphates and carbamates, are toxic to.. Host, like a human Red worms need a moist environment in soil, a. 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