Re-assessing host manipulation in Toxoplasma: the underexplored role of sexual transmission – evidence, mechanisms, implications

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216208%3A11310%2F25%3A10498999" target="_blank" >RIV/00216208:11310/25:10498999 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=Lz8-nT6dep" target="_blank" >https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=Lz8-nT6dep</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.14411/fp.2025.015" target="_blank" >10.14411/fp.2025.015</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Re-assessing host manipulation in Toxoplasma: the underexplored role of sexual transmission – evidence, mechanisms, implications

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

Latent infection with Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908) has been repeatedly correlated with behavioural and physiological changes in both humans and animals. While classically regarded as a parasite transmitted via ingestion or vertical (trans-placental) transmission, accumulating evidence suggests that sexual transmission may also contribute to its epidemiology. This review explores the hypothesis that some behavioural effects of toxoplasmosis-especially those related to attraction, sexual activity, and mate choice-may have evolved to facilitate sexual transmission of the parasite. We summarise findings from animal models and human studies that show modified sexual preferences, altered sexual activity, enhanced attractiveness in infected individuals, and elevated prevalence of T. gondii in groups exhibiting high sexual activity or non-traditional sexual behaviour patterns. Particular attention is given to the role of testosterone, which may mediate both behavioural changes and reproductive consequences, such as shifts in offspring sex ratios and fertility outcomes. Direct detection of the parasite in semen and evidence of transmission through insemination in non-human species further support the plausibility of this route. The observed behavioural effects may also intersect with mechanisms previously thought to enhance predation risk, such as altered fear responses to felid odours. Taken together, these findings point to the possibility that sexual transmission, while likely secondary in humans, may have played a more substantial role in the evolutionary history and current ecology of T. gondii than previously appreciated. This perspective also provides an alternative interpretative framework for understanding the broad spectrum of phenotypic changes associated with latent toxoplasmosis. Further interdisciplinary research is required to clarify the relative contribution of sexual transmission to the parasite&apos;s life cycle and to assess its implications for public health and theory of host-parasite coevolution.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Re-assessing host manipulation in Toxoplasma: the underexplored role of sexual transmission – evidence, mechanisms, implications

Popis výsledku anglicky

Latent infection with Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908) has been repeatedly correlated with behavioural and physiological changes in both humans and animals. While classically regarded as a parasite transmitted via ingestion or vertical (trans-placental) transmission, accumulating evidence suggests that sexual transmission may also contribute to its epidemiology. This review explores the hypothesis that some behavioural effects of toxoplasmosis-especially those related to attraction, sexual activity, and mate choice-may have evolved to facilitate sexual transmission of the parasite. We summarise findings from animal models and human studies that show modified sexual preferences, altered sexual activity, enhanced attractiveness in infected individuals, and elevated prevalence of T. gondii in groups exhibiting high sexual activity or non-traditional sexual behaviour patterns. Particular attention is given to the role of testosterone, which may mediate both behavioural changes and reproductive consequences, such as shifts in offspring sex ratios and fertility outcomes. Direct detection of the parasite in semen and evidence of transmission through insemination in non-human species further support the plausibility of this route. The observed behavioural effects may also intersect with mechanisms previously thought to enhance predation risk, such as altered fear responses to felid odours. Taken together, these findings point to the possibility that sexual transmission, while likely secondary in humans, may have played a more substantial role in the evolutionary history and current ecology of T. gondii than previously appreciated. This perspective also provides an alternative interpretative framework for understanding the broad spectrum of phenotypic changes associated with latent toxoplasmosis. Further interdisciplinary research is required to clarify the relative contribution of sexual transmission to the parasite&apos;s life cycle and to assess its implications for public health and theory of host-parasite coevolution.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

10602 - Biology (theoretical, mathematical, thermal, cryobiology, biological rhythm), Evolutionary biology

Projekt

—

Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2025

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Folia Parasitologica

ISSN

0015-5683

e-ISSN

1803-6465

Svazek periodika

72

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

May

Stát vydavatele periodika

CZ - Česká republika

Počet stran výsledku

12

Strana od-do

015

Kód UT WoS článku

001498323700001

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-105008255217