Bill Gates Awe at the 8.8-Meter Tapeworm and the Meguro Parasite Museum Unveiling the Reality of Parasites

Parasites attach themselves to and inhabit the bodies of humans and animals. In the 1950s, soon after the end of World War II, about 70% of the Japanese population was afflicted by parasites, and many people lost their lives.

There is a place that promotes research, education, and awareness of such parasites. The Meguro Parasite Museum is a 12-minute walk from Meguro Station. The first and second floors of the building are open to the public free of charge as the museum’s exhibition rooms, where about 300 immersion specimens and related materials are on display. Even Bill Gates has visited the museum in sympathy with the museum’s educational activities.

In this issue, we focus on parasites that exist in our daily lives, the damage they cause, and the history of the Japanese people’s struggle to control them. We will take a closer look at parasites that we do not usually know much about (statements by Toshiaki Kuramochi, director of the museum, are in parentheses below).

After World War II, the level of hygiene declined and parasite infestation increased.

The “Meguro Parasite Museum” was established in 1953 by Dr. Saturo Kamegai, a medical doctor and Ph.D., specializing in parasites. It was created shortly after the end of World War II when people were troubled by parasites. Its purpose was to educate and raise awareness about infectious disease prevention, public health, and prevention. In 2023, it celebrated its 70th anniversary. The first floor allows visitors to explore the diversity of parasites and view liquid-preserved specimens, while the second floor provides information about parasites and their history.

“At the time of its establishment, the world was in turmoil due to war, and everyone was struggling to survive. Hygiene levels were even lower than before the war, and the damage caused by soil-borne parasites and malaria transmitted by mosquitoes continued to increase.

Subsequently, treatment and medication prescriptions were continued, but without a change in people’s awareness, the vicious cycle could not be broken. We have continued education and awareness campaigns, starting from basic practices like washing vegetables with clean water and thoroughly washing hands.” (Statement by curator Toshiaki Kuramochi)

Currently, there are about 200 kinds of parasites that attach themselves to humans worldwide, and about 100 kinds have been recorded in Japan. While you may think of parasites as those that do bad things inside the body, insects on the body surface, such as ticks and fleas, are also included in the category of parasites.

Soil-borne parasites, which are transmitted through contaminated soil, were mainly prevalent from the prewar period to the end of the war, as manure was used as fertilizer in those days. Infections were spread through farm work on contaminated farmland, contaminated crops and water, and children playing in the mud.

Multiple parasitism was not uncommon, and in some cases, the parasites invaded the brain and killed the victim.