Toxoplasma Gondii

[Ailurophobia]

Hello everyone, I read about this protozoan about a month ago and it's been interesting me since. In one book, I read that it has affected about 50% of the world's population and on wikipedia I read only 33%. Whatever the number it's still extremely significant, from my knowledge it has shown to affect behavior so that comes down to over 30% of the world at least under the effect of behavioral changes or any of the parasites plethora of defects. I don't know a lot about this subject, but does anyone know quite a bit about it?

[GiantEvil]

It's Professor Robert Sapolsky speaking about T. Gondii. There is also a growing body of research around T. Gondii and human suicide.

Fascinating and scary stuff.

Edited October 17, 2013 by GiantEvil

[Ailurophobia]

Wow, this is very interesting, but in a sense also rather upsetting. Personally I have a cat that kills everything and brings it to my doorstep then cuddles all over me. Yikes.

Responding to what you said about suicide, do you think it could be because the person who is now dead, and most likely alone, can be munched on by scavengers like the mouse?