Parasite Infects facts

While investigating facts about Parasite Infects 300 000 and Parasite Infected Snail, I found out little known, but curios details like:

Toxoplasmosis Gondii, a brain parasite spread through cat feces, which slows rats, and causes attraction to cats. This parasite is transmissible to humans, and can cause humans to excessively care for cats. Also, infected female humans(&rats) are more likely to find infected males attractive.

'male menstruation' that was considered a normal part of growing up in twentieth century Egyptian culture but was actually due to an endemic parasitic bladder infection from schistosomes causing bloody urine.

In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across. Here are 50 of the best facts about Parasite Infects Red Blood Cells and Parasite Infects Cats I managed to collect.

malarial parasite primarily infects what cells?

1. Women with high levels of toxoplasmosis antibodies were significantly more likely to have baby boys than baby girls. In most populations, the birth rate is around 51% boys, but women infected by this cat parasite had up to a 72% chance of a boy.

2. 10-20% of Americans and a higher percent of Europeans are infected with a brain parasite from cats that makes them 2.5 times more likely to get in a car accident, changes personality traits, contributes to schizophrenia, and may cause sexual attraction to cat urine.

3. The majority of infections from swimming pools and hot tubs are caused by cryptosporidium, a diarrheal disease caused by microscopic parasites which are released (anally) into the water and then consumed (orally) by fellow swimmers. Hotel pools are the primary place of infection.

4. About this parasite called Toxoplasma gondii that changes the behavior in its hosts in weird ways. In humans, it is said to infect 50% of the population, and could be responsible for having neurotic diseases like bipolar and depression, and psychotic diseases like schizophrenia.

5. Mistletoe is a parasite infecting hundreds of species of trees and shrubs. Once growing, it steals the nutrients and water of the host, killing the portion of the branch it's on. Heavy infestation may kill off the entire host plant.

6. The parasitic Massospora fungus which infects cicadas, replaces their genitals with a fungal stump, and hijacks their brains with amphetamines and/or psilocybin (the key chemical in hallucinogenic mushrooms), forcing them to mate non-stop and spread the fungal spores to infect other cicadas.

7. 1/3rd of people in developed countries are infected with the brain parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which causes lower reaction times, higher testosterone production, and more masculine/dominant faces. It is believed that it changes its host to increase the probability transmission to a new host.

8. 40% of the Southern US was infected with hookworm in 1910, and John D Rockefeller funded eradication of the parasite.

9. Life in the tunnels was tough for the VC. Besides the obvious claustrophobia, malaria, parasite infections, and respiratory infections were common.

10. The parasite toxoplasma gondii can only reproduce in cats, but it infects the brains of mice and causes them to behave in ways that make them easy prey for cats

What is true about parasite infects?

You can easily fact check it by examining the linked well-known sources.

Roughly 1 out of 5 people in the United States are infected with a parasite that has been linked to mood changes and depression.

The parasite Toxoplasma gondii infects mice and removes their innate fear of cats; Toxoplasma can only sexually reproduce in the gut of cats - source

When an infected mosquito bites a human it infects the human with parasites. These are called Plasmodium parasites and there are five parasite species. Plasmodium falciparum parasites are the most deadly to humans.

There's a parasite that infects a snail's eyes and causes them to pulsate, making them look like wriggling caterpillars. It does this to attract birds, as it needs to be ingested by a bird in order to reproduce.

Up to 1/3 of humans are infected with a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, which has been linked to various neurological conditions such as OCD, ADHD, schizophrenia, and suicidal behaviour - source

What parasite infects?

When fruit flies are infected with a parasite, they self-medicate with booze—they seek out food with higher alcohol content.

1/3 of the global human population is infected with a neurological parasite contracted from cats. This parasite has been linked to schizophrenia and may affect human behavior.

Despite removing ticks and other pests from the fur, oxpeckers are known as parasites because the feed on the blood of their hosts also. When oxpeckers suck blood, they produce wounds that will be infected with new parasites. Those wounds heal slowly.

22% of the US is infected with a parasite that changes the personality

Humans can get cancer from parasites. In an extremely rare case, a man from Columbia with HIV got infected with a tapeworm which had cancer. It then metastasized into his lungs and kidneys, as his immune system was too weak. He eventually pied before diagnosis.

There is a parasitic worm called Ribeiroia that infects frogs and makes them grow multiple extra legs.