On Tue, 21 Jan 2003 17:58:37 +0800, "tmzz" wrote:

Millions Infected With Deadly Parasite Spread By Cats
1-20-3

LONDON (ANI) -- Research on diseases spread by pets has come up with
alarming results. According to a recent study, the domestic cat has spread a
parasite that causes devastating birth defects in humans.

More than a quarter of the world's population is now infected with
toxoplasma gondii, a relative of the malaria bug, the study conducted by an
Anglo-American team and reported in The Telegraph said.

Infected people with weakened immunity often develop acute
toxoplasmosis, which can lead to birth defects, brain inflammation and
vision problems.

It has also been suggested that the parasite, which invades the
brain, may influence behaviour and trigger schizophrenia.

Although it can sexually reproduce only in cats, the creature
mutated so it could asexually reproduce in a vast range of warm-blooded
hosts, including humans.

Dr David Sibley and colleagues at Washington University, St Louis,
Cambridge University and the University of Georgia claim that the three main
strains of the toxoplasma arise from a single mating about 10,000 years ago.

This allowed these parasites to abstain from sex and made being
eaten an attractive option, so they could easily invade any warm-blooded
creature.

The timing of the rise of this asexual form is significant, said Dr
Jim Ajioka, of Cambridge University. As the more infectious bug emerged,
agriculture developed and animals such as cats were domesticated.

Until recently, scientists had thought that the parasite was usually
harmless, a cause for concern only to pregnant women and people with a
weakened immune system, such as AIDS and transplant patients.

Then a team at Oxford University found that rats and mice behaved
more recklessly when infected. Dr Jaroslav Flegr and colleagues at Charles
University in Prague concluded that the reaction times of infected mice were
slower.

"This makes them more vulnerable to a feline pounce, which is
exactly what the parasite wants," Dr Flegr was quoted as saying in the
report.


Copyright © 2001 ANI-Asian News International. All rights reserved.

"Cy" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 21 Jan 2003 17:58:37 +0800, "tmzz" wrote:

Millions Infected With Deadly Parasite Spread By Cats
1-20-3

Snip snip yawn. This parasite called a troll by any chance?

Steve

I suspect a TROLL wrote in message :

Millions Infected With Deadly Parasite Spread By Cats
1-20-3

From my reading, in this country as in America more people are infected from
uncooked and undercooked meats and veg than from ingesting cat faeces.
Burgers are the normal agent of infection not domestic cats!

Indeed if your cat is infected by eating infected mice or uncooked meat, and
I understand it only happens once in it's life, the faeces can contain the
parasite but it needs to mature in the shit for 1 to 10 days to become
infectious. So if you clean out the cats dirt box daily, wash your hand
afterwards and before eating, which is standard hygiene, you won't have a
problem. You can't breath it in you have to eat it.

Pregnant women should not clean out a dirt box at all to avoid infection, as
it's very dangerous to the unborn child. (should they avoid burgers too? )

If you garden where cats defecate especially ones that catch mice, then use
gloves, and take extra hygiene precautions, and don't eat anything grown
there raw.

About 40% of our population show antibodies so have been infected at some
time in the past and probably only showed flue like symptoms at the time. It
only causes a problem if someone has an immune system dysfunction, i.e.
Aids, old age, etc.
--
Bob ( and 3 cats, Rama, Coco and Patch)

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

In article ,
Sue & Bob Hobden wrote:

I suspect a TROLL wrote in message :

Millions Infected With Deadly Parasite Spread By Cats
1-20-3

From my reading, in this country as in America more people are infected from
uncooked and undercooked meats and veg than from ingesting cat faeces.
Burgers are the normal agent of infection not domestic cats!

But I thought that they were made from cats! Am I wrong?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

(Nick Maclaren) wrote:

But I thought that they were made from cats! Am I wrong?

Nick:

You're thinking of won ton soup. A common mistake. I've inherited a fat
Siamese with poor toilet habits I'd like to donate...

It's below zero (Farenheit, alas) in the northeastern American Colonies.
Now I've got cabin fever _and_ frostbite!

Seed catalogs coming in every day, though. They know what they're doing!


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at www.albany.net/~gwoods
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1200' elevation. NY WO G

Really Nick...What a mistake to make
Its Hot DOGS that they eat over there not Cats

--
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Hence their saying Dog gone

--
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk