Most of us only know the parasite Taxoplasma Gondii as the reason pregnant women get out of the duty of changing the kitty litter. It lives in rats and mice but needs to get into cats to be able to reproduce. So the little protozoan can change the behavior of it's host vermin making them a little more foolhardy and attracted to the smell of cat urine. They are more likely to be caught and eaten this way. The parasites then reproduce and the cat sheds toxoplasma babies. If the protozoa infects a human the parasite can have the effect of a higher probability of the person becoming bipolar or schizophrenic. The U.S. population is 11% infected but the French are estimated at 90%. Interesting.
4 comments:
ahhh! 90% - That explains their rudeness. Thanks for clearing that up! :)
cjb
Interesting, I like the attraction to cat urine part.
Yet America has the problem with schizophrenics shooting people and France doesn't.
France doesn't arm their schizophenics w/ guns.
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