Turning Cells Into “Zombies”: Scientists Identify the Secret That Allowed a Parasite To Infect 30% of Humans

Toxoplasma Close Up

The image shows an immune cell that has been infected by Toxoplasma parasites (red). The surface of the cell is colored green and the nucleus of the cell is blue. Credit: Antonio Barragan

A large portion of people on the planet is infected with the parasite Toxoplasma. Now, a study headed by scientists at Stockholm University demonstrates how this tiny parasite spreads so successfully throughout the body, for example to the brain. The parasite infects immune cells and hijacks their identity. The research was recently published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe.

The various roles of immune cells in the body are very strictly regulated in order to combat infections. How Toxoplasma infects so many people and animal species and spreads so quickly has long been a mystery to scientists.

“We have now discovered a protein that the parasite uses to reprogram the immune system”, says Arne ten Hoeve, a researcher at the Department of Molecular Biosciences, Wenner-Gren Institute at Stockholm University.

According to the research, the parasite injects the protein into the immune cell’s nucleus, changing the cell’s identity. Immune cells are deceived by the parasite into believing they are a different kind of cell. This alters the immune cell’s gene expression and behavior. Toxoplasma causes infected cells that should not travel in the body to move quickly, allowing the parasite to spread to different organs.

Immune Cell Infected by Toxoplasma Parasites

Multiple immune cells that have been infected by Toxoplasma parasites (red). The surface of the cell is colored green and the nucleus of the cell is blue. Credit: Antonio Barragan

Toxoplasma has been described as converting immune cells into Trojan horses or wandering “zombies” that spread the parasite. The recently published research provides a molecular explanation for the phenomenon and demonstrates how the parasite is much more targeted in its spread than previously thought.

“It is astonishing that the parasite succeeds in hijacking the identity of the immune cells in such a clever way. We believe that the findings can explain why Toxoplasma spreads so efficiently in the body when it infects humans and animals,” says Professor Antonio Barragan, who led the study, which was carried out in collaboration with researchers from France and the USA.

Information regarding the parasite Toxoplasma and the disease toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is probably the most common parasitic infection in humans globally. Toxoplasma also infects many animal species (zoonosis), including our pets. The WHO has estimated that at least 30% of the world’s human population is a carrier of the parasite. Studies indicate that 15-20% of the Swedish population carry the parasite (the vast majority without knowing it). The incidence is higher in several other European countries.

Felines, not just domestic cats, have a special place in the life cycle of Toxoplasma: it is only in the cat’s intestine that sexual reproduction takes place. In other hosts, for example, humans, dogs, or birds, reproduction takes place by the parasite dividing.

Toxoplasma is spread through food and contact with cats. In nature, the parasite spreads preferentially from rodents to cats to rodents and so forth. The parasites are “sleeping” in the rodent’s brain and when the cat eats the mouse, they multiply in the cat’s intestine and come out via the feces. The parasite ends up in the vegetation and when the rodent eats the vegetation it becomes infected. Humans become infected through meat consumption or through contact with cats, specifically cat feces.

The parasite causes the disease toxoplasmosis. When a person is infected for the first time, mild flu-like symptoms occur that can resemble a cold or the flu. After the first infection phase, the parasite transitions to a “sleeping” stage in the brain and begins a chronic silent infection that can last for decades or for life. The chronic infection usually causes no symptoms in healthy individuals. Toxoplasma can, however, cause a life-threatening brain infection (encephalitis) in people with a weakened immune system (HIV, organ transplant recipients, after chemotherapy) and can be dangerous to the fetus during pregnancy. Eye infections can occur in otherwise healthy individuals.

Reference: “The Toxoplasma effector GRA28 promotes parasite dissemination by inducing dendritic cell-like migratory properties in infected macrophages” by Arne L. ten Hoeve, Laurence Braun, Matias E. Rodriguez, Gabriela C. Olivera, Alexandre Bougdour, Lucid Belmudes, Yohann Couté, Jeroen P.J. Saeij, Mohamed-Ali Hakimi and Antonio Barragan, 28 October 2022, Cell Host & Microbe.
DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2022.10.001

The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council, the Olle Engkvist Byggmastare Foundation, ProFI, the Chemistry Biology Health (CBH) Graduate School of University Q13 Grenoble Alpes, Laboratoire d’Excellence (LabEx) ParaFrap, the Agence Nationale pour la Recherche, and the Fondation pour la Recherche Medicale.

34 Comments on "Turning Cells Into “Zombies”: Scientists Identify the Secret That Allowed a Parasite To Infect 30% of Humans"

  1. OUTSTANDING ARTICLES AS ALWAYS! ALWAYS SURPRISING. I AM NOW A FAN OF YOURD … & A CAT LOVER. THANK YOU.

  2. OUTSTANDING ARTICLES AS ALWAYS! ALWAYS SURPRISING. I AM NOW A FAN OF YOURS
    … & A CAT LOVER. THANK YOU.

  3. I would love to know more about it and what the symptoms are and what could we do too cure it or shut it down.

  4. tell me what drug cures this toxoplasmosis? and what could case this if you do not have any contact with dogs or cats???????

  5. Is there a cure for the disease or why to prevent it like a vaccine. I do believe the human race is going to be wipe out by some sort of parasite or virus.

  6. To the folks asking, there is no cure. There is a drug that treats symptoms, and it was in the news a few years ago because some guy bought the company that owns the patent on it and raised the price like 5,000%. Don’t quote me on the details but I got the general story correct. Google for accurate info…

  7. Is it any medicine from health store any thing Natural I can take been cleaning system for years

  8. Hulda Clark, an alternative healer, believed all disease in mankind was caused by parasitic infections. So she developed a way of cleaning the blood through an electrical current. A small electrical current was placed to an area above a blood vein. The small electrical current comes from a battery and does not harm the individual but supposedly kills anything in the blood by the electrical current. I personally purchased one of these small devices many years ago but have since stopped using it as I wasn’t sure it was doing anything. It would be interesting if anyone experiments with this to see if it has an effect on this toxoplasma.

  9. So if this is something that can hurt u and it comes from cats why in the heck do we still have cats in our homes I think we should have a cat purge!!!! They should be illegal to have!! Now thwt makes sense to me

  10. Sovereign silver!

  11. That’s why we ñeed to deworm our cat when they’re due.

  12. I read a study that this parasite makes its host more attractive more appealing to possible mates. Perhaps in a way to farther spread itself. Also it can effect our thoughts and behaviors. It also raises dopamine in both rodents and humans. In humans there are increased risk in some studies of schizophrenia due to the imbalance of dopamine production. There are many different articles and studies done. I went down the rabbit hole one day after reading a similar article like this. Goggle has alot of interesting information about this parasite.

  13. TREATMENT OF ACUTE INFECTION

    Whom to treat — Acute toxoplasmosis is typically self-limited, and most immunocompetent, nonpregnant adults do not require treatment. However, we suggest treatment for those with severe or prolonged symptoms (eg, beyond a few weeks) and those with evidence of pneumonitis, myocarditis, meningoencephalitis, posterior uveitis, or polymyositis. The management of immunocompromised hosts and pregnant women, as well as those with ocular disease, is discussed elsewhere.

  14. Release all the zombie viruses and get ot over with already. It’d probably do us some good for some population control

  15. Colloidal silver would kill it. Along with ANY other disease or virus the body has. On the other hand, I don’t mind that part of my cats will be with me forever. Lol

    • Didn’t think colloidal silver worked on viruses or parasites, only bacteria; at least with my experience and knowledge of it.

  16. I have toxoplasmosis that has caused the vision in my right eye to be blurred. The retina specialist during my last check has said it now appears to be dormat. I see him in early 2023 for final review. I have been on many different cocktail of drugs trying to beat it. Wish me luck

  17. Dawn says we should have a cat purge. My question to you is…when everybody was getting covid, should we of had a human purge?

  18. Do some research!! This is a vaccine side effect!! This is just another useless article to cover up the truth about the mrna jabs please stop this madness its the biggest cover up ever in my opinion thanks for reading

  19. Sche iße – 90% der Kommentare hier sind schwurbler Blödsinn. Das einzige was man begrenzen sollte, ist eure Meinungsfreiheit so viel dummes Zeug in öffentlichen Medien zu schreiben, wo dieser geistige dünnsch iss vielleicht noch von anderen aufgenommen wird und dann auf virale Weise das Denken von anderen infiziert. Toxoplasmose ist wahrscheinlich ziemlich harmlos dagegen….

  20. Steve Nordquist | December 19, 2022 at 9:29 am | Reply

    Game Over man, Game Over! There are lots of antiamoebal drugs but of course what’s this about making zombies, trouble during pregnancy, it popping out when we’re low, etc.? I don’t want any remote execution up in there! It’s as if I don’t have to worry until I excrete a ransomware notice? (Indicating a toxoplasma that’s that bit more self-aware?)

  21. Steve Nordquist | December 19, 2022 at 9:44 am | Reply

    Toxoplasma gondii is the one implicated in making alpha wolves, so thanks again as a dog owner of course.

  22. I miscarried many, many years ago with Toxoplasmosis. I had been cat sitting for a friend of mine. This was the first time I ever heard about this. I wish there was a way to remove it from your body.

  23. Scott Eugene Glover | December 19, 2022 at 9:13 pm | Reply

    REALLY

  24. Dawn Snyder, you apparently didn’t pay attention to the article, it comes from rodents , be careful with your words before people start going out exterminating cats,also it said most people already have it,here’s an easy way all natural way to stay healthy from most viruses, wash your hands, when handling cat feces pregnant cover your face the one thing a mask will help with or don’t touch it you’ll be OK

  25. Tried to comment here twice now but site has not accepted my input about colloidal silver not being efficacious against viruses or parasites. Hope this one makes it.

  26. I also have this. I have done research for the last several years. I started taking fenbendazole and also albendazole. I also take all B vitamins along with turmeric. I have noticed a total difference in how I feel and look. My son has schizophrenia because of this. He is getting ready to also start taking the medications. Also you must take an antibiotic with it as well. It’s honestly changing my life. I can’t wait to start my son on it who is 28 years old. He began getting symptoms of schizophrenia when he was around 13 or 14 years old.

  27. Could another parasite eat this parasite? 🤷‍♂️

  28. Wouldntyoulovetoknow | December 23, 2022 at 12:06 am | Reply

    It sounds like a perfect way to attempt to head off the inevitable.. when people learn what mRNA vaccines do to the body, they’ll have a story to fall back on to blame .. it is funny they say Swedish are the most common carriers since we all know they had the lowest rates of infection, death or vaccinations –absent any ludicrous lockdowns.

    Besides, who has even heard of toxoplasma??

  29. Seems 2 me this RARE occurrence really Isn’t so RARE! GRRRRRR…… Pisses me Off!

  30. Never knew I had it 60 professional doctors later and lots of out of pocket with no insurance and no answers. Ended up in a clinic hospital. I met a doctor that finally cared in training (clinical doctor) he was amazing. They are so fresh out of school and insurance hasn’t crushed them yet. Found out I had toxoplasmosis and cytomeglavirus. Can’t do anything about it. And to person saying we should rid our home of cats … they did that during the black plague. It was never the cats. It was fleas that came in on mice. Cats were doing what they are supposed to and got the fleas. And as this report states again it affects mice and cats kill the mice and receive in intestines. Anyone who cleans their cats litter probably has it. Can transfer to kittens. More ppl need to know about both of these silent viruses that corrupt and jack our immune systems. Someone has a cold by me..I end up with flu. It like flares it up. Corolla was horrible.

  31. I also have this. I have done research for the last several years. I started taking fenbendazole and also albendazole. I also take all B vitamins along with turmeric. I have noticed a total difference in how I feel and look. My son has schizophrenia because of this. He is getting ready to also start taking the medications. Also you must take an antibiotic with it as well. It’s honestly changing my life. I can’t wait to start my son on it who is 28 years old. He began getting symptoms of schizophrenia when he was around 13 or 14 years old.

  32. American Staffy had pups, got mastitus in/on one of her tits, bathed it and squirted it inside the infected area (hole) with Silver Water (made by myself, very strong golden colour, almost amber) two three times a day, this cured the problem with no after effects, healed completely with no scarring etc. I use Silver Water for ear infections (few drops), cuts, scratches skin rashes etc. I have also used the cold sea water to fix dogs inffected paw (maybe a grass seed), three runs in the sea, three seperate days, immediately began healing. I use Vitamin ‘C” 4,000 mg daily for flu or cold symptons etc., never had a flu shot or covid shot. No need. Go figure? I have used Black Salve on skin cancer areas with great success… (stings, but works if left on for two weeks), cancer is drawn out and drops off, a crater is left, which eventually fills and heals over leaving no residual effects, all healed. If returns? Repeat (may need to prick skin if unable to penetrate it?). This works also… Go Figure? So Sha.

Leave a Reply to Your maker Cancel reply

Email address is optional. If provided, your email will not be published or shared.