Parasites, Pussycats and Psychosis : The Unknown Dangers of Human Toxoplasmosis

• Autore: Torrey E. Fuller
• Pubblicazione: Cham, : Springer International Publishing AG, 2021
• Edizione: 1st ed.
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (150 p.)
• Soggetto topico: Medicine: general issues; Psychiatry; Toxoplasmosi
• Soggetto genere / forma: Llibres electrònics
• Soggetto non controllato: Open Access; zoonosis; Toxoplasma gondii; domestication; madness
• Classificazione: MED000000MED105000
• Note generali: Description based upon print version of record.
• Nota di contenuto: Intro -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Contents -- About the Author -- Other Books by the Author -- 1: Psychosis as a Zoonosis: Clues from Covid -- 1.1 Diseases from Animals -- 1.2 Bats and Rats, but Please, Not Cats -- 1.3 The Origin of Cats -- 1.4 Infectious Agents and Psychosis -- References -- 2: The Case for Toxoplasma gondii in Psychosis and Other Human Diseases -- 2.1 Modes of Transmission -- 2.2 What Is Known Regarding Human Infections? -- 2.3 Fatal Attraction -- 2.4 What Is the Evidence for Toxoplasmosis and Psychosis? -- 2.4.1 T. gondii Can Cause Psychotic Symptoms -- 2.4.2 Among Individuals with Schizophrenia, Those Who Are Infected with T. gondii Have Been Shown to Have More Severe Symptoms -- 2.4.3 Individuals with Psychosis, Compared to Controls, Are Significantly More Likely to Have Antibodies Against T. gondii, Indicating Past Infection -- 2.4.4 Individuals with Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder, Compared to Controls, Are Significantly More Likely as a Child to Have Lived in a Home with a Cat -- 2.5 How Many Cases of Psychosis Might Be Caused by T. gondii? -- 2.6 Other Diseases and Conditions -- References -- 3: The Rise of Cats and Madness: I. The Renaissance -- 3.1 Cats and Satan -- 3.2 Cats During the Renaissance -- 3.3 The Beginning of Cat Rehabilitation -- 3.4 Madness in the Renaissance -- References -- 4: The Rise of Cats and Madness: II. The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries -- 4.1 The Continuing Persecution of Cats -- 4.2 Pet Keeping Becomes More Popular -- 4.3 Cats as Pets -- 4.4 Increasing Interest in Madness -- 4.5 Bethlem as a Human Zoo -- 4.6 Was Madness Increasing? -- 4.7 Cats in Eighteenth Century England -- 4.8 Cats in Art and Poetry -- 4.9 Hospitals for Mad Persons -- 4.10 Public Interest in Madness -- 4.11 Mad Poets -- 4.12 The English Malady -- References. ; 5: The Rise of Cats and Madness: III. The Nineteenth Century -- 5.1 The King's Madness -- 5.2 Nineteenth-Century Cats -- 5.3 The Cats of Writers and Artists -- 5.4 Increasing Insanity -- 5.5 What Was Causing the Increase? -- 5.6 Madness Among "the Better Sort" -- 5.7 Was Insanity Really Increasing? -- 5.8 Official Denial of the Problem -- 5.9 The Debate Winds Down -- References -- 6: Additional Links Between Toxoplasmosis and Psychosis -- 6.1 Survey of the Historical Data -- 6.2 Fewer Cats, Less Psychosis? -- 6.3 More Toxoplasmosis, More Psychosis? -- 6.4 Seasonality of Birth -- 6.5 Urban Living in Childhood -- 6.6 More Psychosis Where It's Colder -- 6.7 The Immigrant Issue -- 6.8 Isn't Schizophrenia Genetic? -- 6.9 Why Isn't There More Psychosis? -- References -- 7: Sentinel Seals, Safe Cats, and Better Treatments -- 7.1 A Review -- 7.2 What Is the Magnitude of the Problem? -- 7.3 Oocyst Contamination of Soil and Water -- 7.4 Solutions to the Problem -- 7.4.1 Decrease the Distribution of Infective T. gondii Oocysts -- 7.4.2 Research -- 7.4.3 Better Treatments -- 7.4.4 Education -- References -- Index.
• Sommario/riassunto: This open access book analyzes the evidence linking Toxoplasma gondii to the increasing incidence of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in the United States. Initially establishing that infectious agents are regularly transmitted from animals to humans, lead to human disease, and that infectious agents can cause psychosis, it then examines the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii in detail. Infecting 40 million Americans, Toxoplasma gondii is known to cause congenital infections, eye disease, and encephalitis for individuals who are immunosuppressed. It has also been shown to change the behavior of nonhuman mammals, as well as to alter some personality traits in humans. After discussing the clinical evidence linking Toxoplasma gondii to human psychosis, the book elucidates the epidemiological evidence further supporting this linkage; including the proportional increase in incidence of human psychosis as cats transitioned to domestication over 800 years. Finally, the book assesses the magnitude of the problem and suggests solutions. Parasites, Pussycats and Psychosis: The Unknown Dangers of Human Toxoplasmosis provides a comprehensive review of the evidence linking human psychosis in the United States to infections of Toxoplasma gondii. It will be of interest to infectious disease specialists, general practitioners, scientists, historians, and cat-lovers.
• Titolo autorizzato: Parasites, Pussycats and Psychosis
• ISBN: 3-030-86811-7
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Record Nr.: 9910510568203321
• Lo trovi qui: Univ. Federico II