Why does Toxoplasmosis Gondii bother infecting humans? What is its endgame with people?
Why does Toxoplasmosis Gondii bother infecting humans? What is its endgame with people?
I'm researching all of this, and it seems cats are the main(?) host for T. gondii. And yet it can infect humans as well. As far as I know, it does (sometimes) virtually nothing except either maybe give you schizophrenia or make you a "Risk-taking Asshole" for lack of a better term. What is even the purpose of doing this to infected humans??? WHY??? What kind of parasite infects a human with the only real side effect of "I'm just gonna make you gamble a lot and give you road rage."
Obviously there's other, more serious side effects. But I truly don't understand what its goals are once it comes into contact with humans. Are we just another body to them? A scenario of "Oh well im in this human now so... Guess I better get comfy or whatever."
Keep in mind I'm aware the Parasite isn't like a person, it doesn't just "do stuff" the way we humans do. It can't really think. My confusion stems from why it even bothers evolving just enough to be able to infect humans in the first place. Why doesn't it just stick with cats? And when it does infect humans, why does it just- not do anything half the time? It's like it only infects people Internally just to mildly inconvenience them.
Its targets are mice and cats, where the latter are their definite hosts. Infected mice become less careful and thus are more likely to be captured and eaten by cats. The cat eating an infected mouse becomes infected and thus the parasites can mate and reproduce.
We as humans, are sufficiently close to mice to become infected as intermediate hosts, but we are a dead end, as we usually don't end up as our cat's food.OOOOOOOOOHHH MY GOD THAT MAKES SO MUCH FUCKING SENSE.
So all we gotta do is just make a Casino for Mice, then they won't need to feed themselves to cats. problem solved.
Evolution doesn't have intent. If a mutation doesn't have any significant negative pressure, it can be passed on. So while infecting a human is mostly a dead end, it is an active infection where they successfully reproduce.
Not really, as the reproduction, i.e. the sexual part of their cycle, happens only in cats. But I agree, it doesn't cause a strong negative pressure, as there are lots of spores being produced in the cats and 'enough' find their desired target.
There's no end game with people, there's just an end. We're not a suitable host, it's just an unlucky coincidence when they infect us. The creature doesn't ask us to consume it, but we sometimes do anyway, in spite of it.
The Toxoplasmosis in my body after it hatches from its dormant stage. (I've just consumed 200mg of weed and a shot of brandy, yit has no idea what it's in for.)
i thought i saw a mention that it makes rats not afraid of cats, easier to catch. humans might just have similar enough biochemistry to also be affected.
good news is cat ladies are fiesty.
Maybe thats why im so unhinged....
fuck.
It's either 9D chess from a parasite, or a side effect of the evolutionary proximity and evolved domestication between humans and cats.
There is something to be said for making humans more friendly to feral cats, and of course more-risk taking behavior equals more opportunities for the parasite to be transmitted.
I vote we make a survival horror movie involving Toxoplasmosis and a few other parasites hatching inside of RFK jr's body. Itll be like Osmosis jones, but Thrax is the main Character and scared for his fucking life.
I encourage you to check out the book Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer if you’re interested in that kind of thing, it’s a very fascinating look at how many different parasites function within their hosts and environment, and how they evolved.
It wants to be in cats.
Humans like cuddling cats.