malayalam news: Cats parasite are linked with Brain Cancer

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Cats parasite are linked with Brain Cancer | Medic4health

There is a parasite which infected about third of the population that is single-celled organism Toxoplasma gondii. Its infection appears usually with no symptoms, but the parasite can be fatal to unborn babies and damage nerve systems of people having weak immune systems.

A study is conducted that shows correlation between rates of infection by T. gondii and brain cancer incidence around the world. Researches collected global data on brain cancers in men and women and compared them with figures on T. gondii prevalence.

It has been found that cancer risk is increased after infection of that parasite. Adjusting for a range of factors that can influence brain cancer statistics, the researchers found that cancer rates went up with greater exposure to the parasite.

Across the range of infection prevalence, from 4% to 67% of the population, T. gondii was associated with a 1.8-fold increase in the risk of brain cancer. The scientists, led by Frederic Thomas, from the CNRS research institute in Montpellier, France, wrote in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters. Previous research had already linked the parasite to brain tumours in animals. There is also other evidence that T. gondii has effects on the brain leading to changes in behavior.

Infected rats are known to lose their fear of cats, making it more likely that they will be killed and eaten. This is advantageous to the parasite, since it reproduces inside the intestines of cats. The organism?s egg-like oocysts are shed in cat faeces which may then contaminate food or infect other animals. ?Some studies have suggested that T. gondii can alter the behaviour of humans too, making men more aggressive and even causing women to cheat on their husbands. Other research has pointed to a strong link between T. gondii and schizophrenia.