Protozoan Parasite Toxoplasma gondii Manipulates Mate Choice in Rats by Enhancing Attractiveness of Males

Dass, Shantala A. Hari; Vasudevan, Anand; Dutta, Deborah; Soh, Linda Jing Ting; Sapolsky, Robert M.; Vyas, Ajai

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0027229

Cited by 97 publications

(130 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(73 reference statements)

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“…Later, contaminated semen samples from dogs, rats and rams experimentally infected to the parasite were also confirmed by bioassay and PCR methods (Arantes et al 2009;Dass et al 2011;Lopes et al 2009). Its tachyzoites were detected in testis and epididymis of experimentally infected intermediate hosts using immunohistochemistry test ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Dass et al (2011) reported this change on mating selection for uninfected females would not increase sexual transmission of T. gondii.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…In another study, the parasite could alter mate choice in rats whereby infected males were considered more attractive by females (Dass et al 2011). Dass et al (2011) reported this change on mating selection for uninfected females would not increase sexual transmission of T. gondii.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Toxoplasma gondii: sexual transmission in mice

et al. 2013

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This study was performed to evaluate sexual transmission of Toxoplasma gondii in mice. RH strain tachyzoites were intraperitoneally inoculated into 10 Balb/C male mice and after 48 h, their semen were collected from epididymis and examined by giemsa staining and PCR. Twenty Balb/C female mice mated with four infected male mice four times and any mating time was 48 h whilst 20 female control mice mated with four uninfected male mice for 8 days. Female mate choice was assessed using a threechambered cage. Four female mice were placed in a central chamber and in one side of it, two infected male mice were kept and in other side, two naïve male mice were placed. Due each quarter, every of the female movement was reported and then the female was replaced to middle chamber. Besides on the detection of DNA and whole parasite in semen, no abortion and death was seen in female mice. Pregnancy was seen only 4 out of 20 female mice which mated with infected males while 17 pregnancies were seen from 20 control female mice (P value = 0.0001). No statistical significant was seen in female mate choice between naïve male (45 movement) and infected male (36 movement). This study showed that toxoplasmosis could not transmit to female mice and their offspring due to mating and the parasite had not effect on female mate choice. It seems that infected male mice cannot entirely mate with females due to reduction of male weapon and body size, physiological vigor and energy.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Dass et al (2011) reported this change on mating selection for uninfected females would not increase sexual transmission of T. gondii.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Toxoplasma gondii: sexual transmission in mice

et al. 2013

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“…In this narrative, the body of the host becomes an extended phenotype of the parasite (Dawkins, 1999;Hunter, 2009) and the behavioral changes correlate with increased transmission of the parasite. T. gondii has earlier been shown to increase sexual attractiveness of the infected males, resulting in greater sexual transmission of the parasite (Dass et al, 2011). Current observations present a molecular mechanism for T. gondii-induced extended phenotype.…”

mentioning

confidence: 69%

“…Ensuing chronic infection causes change in the behavior of the infected rats, namely: (a) loss of aversion to cat odors (Berdoy et al, 2000;Vyas and Sapolsky, 2010) and (b) gain of enhanced sexual attractiveness (Dass et al, 2011;Vyas, 2013). These changes plausibly lead to greater transmission of the parasite by trophic route to the cat intestine and by sexual route to female rats, although incontrovertible evidence of greater transmission in field conditions is not yet available (Worth et al, 2013).…”

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confidence: 99%

α2u-globulins mediate manipulation of host attractiveness in Toxoplasma gondii–Rattus novergicus association

et al. 2015

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Uninfected female rats (Rattus novergicus) exhibit greater attraction to the males infected with protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. This phenomenon is contrary to the aversion towards infected males observed in multitude of other host-parasite associations. In this report, we describe a proximate mechanism for this anomaly. We demonstrate that T. gondii infection enhances hepatic production and urinary excretion of α2u-globulins in rats. We further demonstrate that α2u-globulins are sufficient to recapitulate male sexual attractiveness akin to effects of the infection. This manipulation possibly results in greater horizontal transmission of this parasite between the infected male and the uninfected female. It supports the notion that in some evolutionary niches parasites can alter host sexual signaling, likely leading to an increased rate of sexual transmission.

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Toxoplasma gondii, HBV, and HCV co‐infection and their correlation with CD4 cells among Iranian HIV‐positive patients

Bazmjoo

Bagherzadeh

Raoofi

et al. 2023

Immunity Inflam & Disease

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Introduction Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV/AIDS) infected patients have a higher risk of opportunistic infections (OIs) depending on their immunological status, especially CD4 + cell count. Toxoplasma gondii, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) are important OIs among Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients. However, little is known about co‐infection of these pathogens among HIV‐infected individuals and their correlation with the patient's CD4 + cell count. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the serological and molecular status of T. gondii infection among HIV‐infected individuals who had co‐infection with HBV and HCV infections. Methods A total of 100 HIV/AIDS patients in two cities in the southwest of Iran was tested for T. gondii Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies as well as DNA detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the RE gene. HBV and HCV were detected by hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) test, hepatitis C antibody (HCV Ab) test, and Real‐Time PCR. The number of CD4 + cell counts was determined by Flow cytometry. Results Anti‐T. gondii IgG was positive in 22% of the patients, but anti‐T. gondii IgM and PCR were negative in all samples. HBV and HCV were positive in 8% and 33% of the patients, respectively. Co‐infections were as followed: HIV + HCV (16%), HIV + HCV + T. gondii (11%), HIV + T. gondii (5%), HIV + HBV (1%), HIV + HBV + T. gondii (1%), HIV + HBV + HCV (1%), and HIV + HBV + HCV + T. gondii (5%). A significant decline in CD4 + cell counts was found in such co‐infection groups (HIV + T. gondii, HIV + HCV + T. gondii, and HIV + HBV + HCV + T. gondii) compared with the HIV mono‐infection group. Conclusions Our study showed that co‐infections of T. gondii, HCV, and HBV were common among HIV‐infected patients and co‐infections had a negative correlation with CD4 + cell counts of the patients.

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Protozoan Parasite Toxoplasma gondii Manipulates Mate Choice in Rats by Enhancing Attractiveness of Males

Cited by 97 publications

References 41 publications

Toxoplasma gondii: sexual transmission in mice

Toxoplasma gondii: sexual transmission in mice

α2u-globulins mediate manipulation of host attractiveness in Toxoplasma gondii–Rattus novergicus association

Toxoplasma gondii, HBV, and HCV co‐infection and their correlation with CD4 cells among Iranian HIV‐positive patients

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