Cat poop a 'vast and underappreciated' public health problem due to T. gondii parasite: scientists [View all]

[XemaSab]

I can haz parasite?

Your cuddly, meme-worthy kitty -- or, more specifically, its poop -- could be a "vast and underappreciated" public health problem, scientists warn.

Pregnant women and people with immune deficiencies have long been warned to stay away from cat feces due to the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, responsible for toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasma infections can cause flu-like symptoms, blurry vision, and in severe cases brain and organ damage.

But in recent years evidence suggests that T. gondii can wreak havoc in ways not previously imagined. People with mental disorders such as schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder are more likely to have T. gondii antibodies in their system, indicating contact with the parasite, than the general population, and some researchers believe it may be responsible for memory or cognitive problems in otherwise healthy people. It has even been linked to conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and brain cancer, and to kids doing poorly in school.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/cat-poop-vast-underappreciated-public-health-problem-scientists-article-1.1394070#ixzz2YbxHP700