Authors: Shantala Arundathi Hari Dass, Anand Vasudevan, Deborah Dutta, Linda Jing Ting Soh, Robert Morris Sapolsky, Ajai Vyas
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027229
Abstract Summary
Parasites can hijack mate choice: Toxoplasma gondii, a sexually transmitted parasite in brown rats, makes infected males more attractive to females—contrary to the usual avoidance of diseased mates. This manipulation helps the parasite spread, revealing how pathogens can exploit host behavior for their own reproductive advantage.
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Toxoplasma gondii parasite increases infected male rats’ sexual attractiveness to females, demonstrating parasites can manipulate host mating behavior to enhance their own transmission.
The image is AI-generated for illustrative purposes only. Courtesy of Midjourney.
