Taxoplasmosis

Question 1

what is toxoplasmosis scary

Answer 1

can change behaviour

Question 2

what is taxoplasmosis caused by

Answer 2

toxoplasmosa gondii - a protozoan

Question 3

protozoan

Answer 3

single-celled eukaryote

Question 4

prokaryote

Answer 4

organism lacking a true nucleus (bacteria)

Question 5

why is taxoplasmosis difficult to treat

Answer 5

difficult developing drugs and gets into brain

Question 6

eukaryote

Answer 6

an organism whose cells contain a true nucleus

Question 7

definitive host

Answer 7

the host in which sexual reproduction of a parasite takes places

Question 8

asymptomatic

Answer 8

without symptoms

Question 9

latent infection

Answer 9

when an infection is present without causing damage - people may transmit infections even when they are latent

Question 10

what can the parasite of toxoplasmosis be carried by

Answer 10

range of warm blooded mammals (mouse/cow/humans)

Question 11

what is the definitive host of toxoplasmosis

Answer 11

cats - complex life cycle

Question 12

how do cats get infected

Answer 12

consuming rodents/birds who have infection

Question 13

sexual reproduction can only occur in cats, how does it spread

Answer 13

cats shed oocysts in faeces (poop everywhere)

Question 14

how do other cats get infected

Answer 14

from oocysts in wild

Question 15

how do warm blooded animals get infected

Answer 15

take up oocysts from grass

Question 16

how can people be infected from oocysts

Answer 16

dry environment - breathe in oocysts/gardening/contaminated veg

Question 17

how does toxoplasma infect you

Answer 17

rapidly dividing form, spreads throughout body, enters into cells and replicates

large parasite - pushes into membrane - surrounded by membrane = hidden to IS - starts to divide => bursts out of cell: IS reaction - restricted to membrane bound structures within cells (cysts)

Question 18

what is the special mechanism

Answer 18

pushes in and twists - cleaves membrane to leave inside

Question 19

how does toxoplasmosis replicate inside cell membrane

Answer 19

undergo assexual reproduction

Question 20

what form does it change into

Answer 20

starts dividing slowly, settles down => cysts in large numbers in muscle/brain tissue

Question 21

why is toxoplasmosis a problem for weak immune systems

Answer 21

• chemotherapy
• transplant patients
• AIDS patients

Question 22

how can we prevent toxoplasmosis

Answer 22

cook meat properly
wear gloves in garden
mask in dry/dusty conditions

Question 23

when is toxoplasmosis problematic

Answer 23

when women become infected DURING pregnancy - fetus can become infected

Question 24

3 risks of toxoplasmosis

Answer 24

1. unpaved sidewalks/seasonly dry conditions
2. uncooked meat
3. childhood contact with animals

Question 25

toxoplasmosis infected rats were:

Answer 25

1. more active 2. more willing to investigate novel smells 3. attracted to cat urine 4. slower to react = parasite manipulates host - more likely to get eaten by cat

Question 26

latent infection in humans associated with

Answer 26

1. different personality traits 2. slower reaction times 3. poorer concentration

Question 27

why are small effects important

Answer 27

small differences in reaction reaction times => overall risk x3 greater for those infected

Question 28

important to remember

Answer 28

correlation is not causation