Beware the kittens

why worry about Afghans going amok, when the real enemy is probably living right next to you:

CREDIT: BETTINA STRENSKE / ALAMY STOCK PHOTo

UKTelegraph discusses cat scratch fever:

Cuddling kittens can kill you.

ah but the real danger is toxoplasmosis. SciAm notes:

Feeling sociable or reckless? You might have toxoplasmosis, an infection caused by the microscopic parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which the CDC estimates has infected about 22.5 percent of Americans older than 12 years old. Researchers tested participants for T. gondii infection and had them complete a personality questionnaire. They found that both men and women infected with T. gondii were more extroverted and less conscientious than the infection-free participants.

actually, the real danger of toxoplasmosis is that if you are pregnant when you get infected, it can affect your baby.

So I always warned my pregnant patients not to clean the cat litter.

neonatal toxoplamosis

Congenital toxoplasmosis is caused by transplacental acquisition of Toxoplasma gondii. Manifestations, if present, are prematurity, intrauterine growth restriction, jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly, myocarditis, pneumonitis, rash, chorioretinitis, hydrocephalus, intracranial calcifications, microcephaly, and seizures. Diagnosis is by serologic testing or PCR. Treatment is with pyrimethamine, sulfadiazine, and leucovorin. Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite found worldwide, causes congenital infection in about 1/10,000 to 80/10,000 births

Sigh. Zika is not the only danger to you and your baby...