Toxoplasma Gondii

I’m finally getting back into the groove and am picking up this blog thing again. The topic of this entry is a disease I recently found out about (not through experience) called Toxoplasmosis. It’s caused by the Toxoplasma Gondii bacteria. The bacteria lives inside the guts of cats. It is present in their poop, but in order to complete its life cycle, it must find its way back to a cat’s digestive system. It does this by infecting rats and rewiring their brains so that they no longer fear cats. This lack of fear causes them to be eaten, thus completing the life cycle of Toxoplasma Gonii.

Isn’t that downright diabolical!?

toxoplasma

According to my roommate (whom I will reference as a legitimate source of information solely because I think this next part is awesome) the T. Gonii bacteria can have a similar effect on humans, which offers an explanation of “cat people.”

People in the middle ages thought that cats were demons, witches, and so forth. I’m beginning to think they were onto something

–Claude

2 Responses to “Toxoplasma Gondii”


  1. 1 jay.me February 17, 2010 at 9:51 pm

    that is gross! the disease not the drawing, its great.


  1. 1 Toxoplasmosis « Claude Ramey dot Wordpress dot Com Trackback on August 13, 2010 at 3:41 am

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