*** Welcome to piglix ***

Coprophagia


Coprophagia /kɒp.rə.ˈf.i.ə/ or coprophagy /kəˈprɒfə/ is the consumption of feces. The word is derived from the Greek κόπρος copros, "feces" and φαγεῖν phagein, "to eat". Coprophagy refers to many kinds of feces-eating, including eating feces of other species (heterospecifics), of other individuals (allocoprophagy), or one's own (autocoprophagy) – those once deposited or taken directly from the anus.

In humans, coprophagia has been observed in individuals with mental illness. Some animal species eat feces as a normal behavior; other species may not normally consume feces but do so under very unusual conditions.

Coprophagia has been observed in individuals with schizophrenia and pica. Individuals with Prader–Willi syndrome also often exhibit coprophagia.

Consuming feces carries the risk of spreading bacteria such as E. coli and of contracting diseases such as Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, pneumonia, polio and influenza. Coprophagia also carries a risk of contracting intestinal parasites.


...
Wikipedia

...