Cats are the main repository of the disease because the organism requires a cat to enter the reproductive phase of its lifecycle.
It most certainly can and does infect other animals though.
One of the most profound effects of the infection occurs in rats and mice.
Rats and mice crawling around on the ground may come across cat feces or urine and get infected.
These creatures are fearful of cat urine because it marks the presence of a predator, and a healthy rat or mouse will try to hide when presented with cat urine.
In studies done on rodents infected with toxoplasma gondii however, the rodents were not afraid of the smell of cat urine. In fact, they were even drawn to it, seeking out the scent and lingering by it, even though to do so meant certain death.
Why would a rat offer up its life like this?
Simply put, because the toxoplasma gondii wanted it to.
The parasite needs to be eaten by a cat in order to reproduce.
Most cats prefer live, fresh meat, so the parasite allows the rat to live.
In order to direct the rodent to the correct place however, the toxoplasma gondii targets the place in the rodent's brain where fear of cat urine resides, and almost surgically, alters it.
Talk about an intelligent organism.
Once eaten by the cat the toxoplasma reproduces in the guts of the cat.
The eggs are then shed, mostly in feces, and when rats come across this they start the whole cycle all over again.
SPOOKY!
Jsn
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
Yes, I have read about this before and found it really fascinating. It is amazing how protozoa can adapt to best survive. Here, they use the rodent to get into the cat. Very manipulative!!!! It really does put you in awe of how complex survival and evolution are.