This Parasite Can Manipulate The Minds of Chimps, Mice and Probably You – The Messenger

LURKING IN about one in three people worldwide is a parasite that s remarkably adept at changing the behavior of a wide range of warm-blooded hosts humans included.

On its face, Toxoplasma gondii seems unassuming, even powerless. While the single-celled organism can live in just about any warm-blooded vertebrate, it can t reproduce unless it s in its preferred home: the gut of a cat.

To get there, this microscopic parasite has a major trick up its sleeve: mind control. Once inside an animal s brain, scientists are discovering that it can steer a diverse array of hosts towards felines in intriguing even unsettling ways that often harm the animal but can benefit the parasite. 

Studies show that Toxo, as the parasite is commonly known, can render rats and hyenas less fearful of their feline predators, boost the odds that a wolf becomes pack leader, and seems to make humans slightly more likely to start new businesses, get into car accidents, and even develop schizophrenia.

Precisely how Toxo manipulates so many hosts is still unclear, and scientists disagree about how much influence the parasite actually wields. But a slew of recent research suggests that its impact on animals and humans may be greater than previously thought, and scientists are racing to learn more.

via themessenger.com

Well, that’s a caution, for sure. Is there a test for this bug? Does it make you more likely to vote GOP?