The Cat And Mouse Nature Of The Parasite Behind Toxoplasmosis
Wednesday, September 18, 2013 - 21:10
in Health & Medicine
The Toxoplasma parasite has been linked spontaneous abortion in pregnant women and killing immune-compromised patients, but it has even stranger effects in mice. Infected mice lose their fear of cats. That's good for cats and then for the parasite, because the cat gets an easy meal and the parasite gets into the cat's intestinal track, the only place it can sexually reproduce and continue its cycle of infection. New research reveals a scary twist to this scenario: the parasite's effect seem to be permanent. The fearless behavior in mice persists long after the mouse recovers from the flu-like symptoms of toxoplasmosis, and for months after the parasitic infection is cleared from the body. read more