Toxoplasma parasite

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Yes! TWiP, TWiV and TWiM are among my favorites. I listen to every episode of each!

TWiP has done two shows on Toxo, I think. The really interesting thing is that the psychoactive pharmacopeia employed by T. Gondii to manipulate rat behavior is implicated in many psychological effects in humans. There are suggestive correlations between toxoplasmosis and a wide range of human behaviors. T.Gondii may be an epigenetic factor contributing to the pathological expression of a range of genes active in schizophrenia, for example. There is also some correlation between accidents and T.Gondii infection. Some researchers have suggested that toxoplasmosis may result in an increase in risk taking behavior--which makes sense given the shared chemistry of rats and humans.

I am happy to see another TWiP fan here![/quote

I love all three shows too. Hehe we are such nerds! I can't keep up with them weekly though because I often have to listen twice and look stuff up. Man I love those podcasts though!

Having cats all your life, is no guarantee for having Toxoplasmosis. I had cats as well since being a kid, that were as well allowed to share the bed with me. As well that I snuggled with every nice cat on my way to and from school, every sneezy, wormy, lousy farmcat that crossed my way...or other farm animals as sheeps and goats and snall cows, horses, ... As well that there are tame deers around here (So they are not totally tame, but there is a fenced forest area, beside a forest walk way, and the deers have learned that tons of people come there with their kids, and that they often get some food-goodies, while still being secure behind the fence. ^^ ) Additional I ate as well tons of raw flesh products as Salami or certain hams, that could bear toxoplosmosis... And I live beside an hayfield, that gets fertilized organic. (Means tons of s**t is spreaded on it, and that s**t spreading machine is not really that precise, so we get parts of our garden as well fertilized for free, twice a year. ^^

So I was totally secure, that I sure will already have had an infection. Surprisingly, when I was tested at the begin of my pregnancy: No toxoplosmosis infection ever.

Another reason, why I say, that people are overdoing about it. If I didn´t get it my whole life, when I absolutely did not care for it, the risc for getting it while I am actually avoiding all kind of infection possibilities, will be really small.

I have a rail commute every day, so I listen to them in the morning while I look out the window of the train. Then in the evening I go to http://www.twiv.tv/
or
http://www.microbeworld.org/podcasts/th ... parasitism
or
http://www.microbeworld.org/podcasts/th ... crobiology

And look up anything that baffles me, follow the links in the show notes, etc. The bad part is that no one in my family wants to hear about it. Fortunately, my son is into astronomy, so I can usually refocus on something cool from space and divert that thwarted feeling that comes from suppressing the desire to monologue on something cool, like Toxo!

It makes me foolishly happy to think that you are out there and also getting into the wonderful, informative shows that Vincent puts together.

I even bought Dick's book.

The. Vertical farms book or Parasitic Diseases?

Parasitic Disease one. The Vertical farm book got some pretty awful reviews on Amazon, but they were saying he rambled all over the place and I actually love it when he does that because I learn so much. I'll get it eventually. Haven't read the first one yet!