What is Taxoplasmosis?

What is Toxoplasmosis?

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) causes Toxoplasmosis. T. gondii is a bad bug. T. gondii is one of the most common parasitic diseases and has been found in nearly all warm-blooded animals, including pets and humans. Over 60 million people in the US are infected with this parasite. There is no cure. Worldwide there are in some areas 95% T. gondii infection rate. Climate and cultural customs creates a cause and effect on the infection rate. Cats or felines in general are the source of the infections. Wait! Not all cats are infected. T. gondii only sexually reproduces in cat’s intestine. The cat poops out millions of oocytes (egg-like) hardy shell that remain viable perhaps years… depending on the environment.

Cat Symptoms

Cats are not infectious all of the time. When the cat is infected from eating an infected mouse, rat, or bird, they usually are sick for a short time. After they appear to be OK, they are not infectious. The cat’s immune system determines the cat’s reaction. Some of the symptoms may be fever, loss of appetite, and lethargy. Other symptoms may occur depending on whether the infection is acute or chronic, and where the parasite is found in the body. In the lungs, T. gondii infection can lead to pneumonia, which will cause respiratory distress of gradually increasing severity. The cat’s symptoms may also include circling, head pressing, twitching of the ears, difficulty in chewing and swallowing food, seizures, and loss of control over urination and defecation.

All Warm Blooded Animas are Possible Victims

Stanford University School of Medicine indicates per a recent study, eighty-four percent of the North American infants had serious complications of the parasitic infection, including calcium deposits in the brain, water on the brain, and eye disease that caused visual impairment or blindness.

Pregnant Women Beware!

T. gondii infection of pregnant women is especially dangerous. The parasite crosses the placenta causing the surviving children to suffer long-term problems. T. gondii may cause fetal deformities and spontaneous abortions in pregnant women. Some outcomes are cerebral palsy, mental retardation, brain damage, blindness, epilepsy, and even death. This is why pregnant women should not change the kitty litter!

Human Populations are Effected by T. Gondii

The T. gondii parasite could end up anywhere in the brain, so human symptoms of toxoplasmosis infection may depend on where parasite ends up. The parasite might migrate to the eyes, the skin. The Stanley Medical Research Institute and Dunhill Medical Trust, research team found that the parasite causes production and release of many times the normal amount of dopamine in infected brain cells. Dr. McConkey states, “Based on these analyses, it was clear that T. gondii can orchestrate a significant increase in dopamine production in neural cells,”

T. Gondii Changes Behaviors

Dopamine is the chemical that is responsible for sending messages to various parts of the body in order to control movement, behavior, and cognition. Dopamine is a normal chemical in the brain and irregular functioning of this chemical is the known reason for mental disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia and ADHD. T. gondii infected people have very high levels of dopamine.

Infected people behaviors are changed. Most motorcycles riders are infected with T. gondii. T. gondii men are prone to take more risks. People in car wrecks are 2.5 times more likely to be infected with T. gondii. Infected women become more attractive to infected men. Entire cultures are changed. Brazil has almost a 95% infection rate. The Brazilian women are known for being attracted to infected men. See:

http://www.praguepost.com/archivescontent/3144-jaroslav-flegr-a-manipulation-hypothesis.html

There is Much More

My book, Eyes Wide "Shut:: An Enigma in the appendix has much more details of human behaviors. My book is available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon and my web site: www eyeswideshutanenigma dot com. Be alert and aware.

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http://dallas93444.hubpages.com/hub/T-Gondio-Most-of-Us-Have-It