Could germ from cat trigger rage disorder in people?
Your cats litter box could be a source of explosive anger -- and not for the obvious reasons. A new study suggests that people prone to explosive bouts of rage might be under the influence of toxoplasmosis, an illness caused by a parasite found in cat feces and undercooked meat.
Folks diagnosed with intermittent explosive disorder (IED) are more than twice as likely to carry Toxoplasma gondii, the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, said lead researcher Dr. Emil Coccaro. Coccaro noted that because this study was not a clinical trial, the results dont establish a direct cause-and-effect link. He also added that not everyone who tests positive for toxoplasmosis will have aggression issues.
Intermittent explosive disorder involves recurrent and impulsive outbursts of verbal or physical aggression that are disproportionate to the situations that caused the anger.
Coccaro and his colleagues suspected that toxoplasmosis might be linked to some cases of intermittent explosive disorder.
Toxoplasmosis is typically a relatively harmless parasitic infection. About a third of all humans have been infected, the researchers said. Newborns and people with compromised immune systems are most at risk for a severe toxoplasmosis infection, which can cause damage to the brain, eyes or other organs, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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