Research has frequently shown that host behavior can change when infected with a pathogen, often times in ways that facilitate future tranmission of that parasite. In a recent article that is pretty close to home, researchres at Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive in France have published evidence that infection with Toxoplasma gondii leads chimpanzees to lose their fear of leoparnd urine. The authors suggest that this could facilitate transmission to leopards, a terminal host of of the parasite.
How much might the pathogens in and around us be controling our behaviours?
Research has frequently shown that host behavior can change when infected with a pathogen, often times in ways that facilitate future tranmission of that parasite. In a recent article that is pretty close to home, researchres at Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive in France have published evidence that infection with Toxoplasma gondii leads chimpanzees to lose their fear of leoparnd urine. The authors suggest that this could facilitate transmission to leopards, a terminal host of of the parasite.
How much might the pathogens in and around us be controling our behaviours?