Fed: Mind-altering parasite turns women into sex kittens

AAP General News (Australia)
12-27-2006
Fed: Mind-altering parasite turns women into sex kittens

An Australian researcher says a common parasite can increase a women's attractiveness
to the opposite sex .. but can also make men more stupid.

About 40 per cent of the world's population is infected with Toxoplasma gondii .. including
about eight million Australians.

Human infection generally occurs when people eat raw or undercooked meat that has cysts
containing the parasite .. or accidentally ingest some of the parasite's eggs excreted
by an infected cat.

The parasite is known to be dangerous to pregnant women .. as it can cause disability
or abortion of the unborn child .. and can also kill people whose immune systems are weakened.

NICKY BOULTER .. an infectious disease researcher at the University of Technology Sydney
.. says until recently it was thought to be an insignificant disease in healthy people.

But new research reveals it has mind-altering properties.

Dr BOULTER says the effect of infection is different between men and women.

He says infected men have lower IQs .. achieve a lower level of education .. and have
shorter attention spans.

They're also more likely to break rules and take risks .. be more independent .. more
anti-social .. and are considered less attractive to women.

On the other hand .. infected women tend to be more outgoing .. friendly .. more promiscuous
.. and are considered more attractive to men.

Dr BOULTER says the research isn't conclusive .. but is backed up by animal studies
that found infection also changes the behaviour of mice.





Source: Australasian Science

AAP RTV jb/ibw/wz

KEYWORD: PARASITE (CANBERRA)

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