Infectious Causation of Abnormal Host Behavior: and Its Potential Association With Dopey Fox Syndrome.

The apicomplexan parasite , the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, can infect all warm-blooded animals. can subtly alter host behaviors-either through manipulation to enhance transmission to the feline definitive host or as a side-effect, or "constraint," of infection. In humans, infection, either alone or in association with other co-infecting neurotropic agents, has been reliably associated with both subtle behavioral changes and, in some cases, severe neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia.