Invasion of Brain Capturer

Sounds like a science fiction plot, where an alien comes to earth and spreads a parasite on the planet which invades in human brain and makes them go crazy or suicidal, but sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.

Toxoplasma Gondii is the most famous and most controversial neurological parasite. The parasite makes mice attracted to cat’s urine, which in turn makes it an easy meal for cats, in turn the cat is exposed to the parasite and sheds it in his poop. Any food item which comes in contact with the soil
in contact with the poop gets infected and enters the human body.

Intake of food or water contaminated with infected cats’s urine causes Toxoplasma infection in humans. 80% of the developing countries population is affected by Toxoplasma. The disease is termed as TOXOPLASMOSIS.

Immune system keeps this infection in check but it can lead to serious
brain dysfunction. Patients having suppressed immune system and expecting mothers are more prone to this type of infection. Infection of Toxoplasma can lead to still birth.

Symptoms

Flu like symptoms including fever, sore throat, sore muscles and swollen lymph nodes are some common symptoms in case of exposure of parasite to human body. Tiredness, vision problems and altered activity level which are specific for such kind of infections. Severe infections can lead to changes in risk behavior, decreased reaction time which can even lead to Schizophrenia, seizures and unconsciousness.

Pregnant women should be very vigilant as this parasite can lead to serious effects like miscarriage or still birth. Baby’s born with Toxoplasmosis will have serious birth defects like affected vision and brain activity.

Diagnosis

In case of any exposure to contaminated food, water or exposure to cat feaces there becomes a chance of infection by the parasite consult your doctor who will line up some bacterial infection specific blood tests which can help in detecting the bacteria specific to infection.

Causes

Eating raw or undercooked meat of any animal as well drinking unpasteurized milk of any animal is harmful. Cat owners are generally exposed to this parasite while cleaning their poops and working in gardens, playing in sandboxes can also lead to exposure of the parasite.

Cat owners should be very vigilant regarding the meals of the cats, also they need to check whether they are exposed to any mouse, bird or other rodent. In case of pregnancy be vigilant about contaminated food and water, it’s OK to keep a cat near an expecting mother, but she should not be responsible to cleaning its poop and other daily activities.

Treatment

Healthy people generally recover without any treatment, but in case of immuno-suppressed patients or expecting mothers special care should be taken and with the help multi-drug therapy we can have an easy control over the situation.

Brain is a privileged site for many parasites and that really challenges our will. It should be we to decide our behavior not the parasite. Keeping a pet should be a joyful experience not a cause of any health discomfort. Keep it in mind, don’t let the parasite bite your mind.