Učinci infekcije praživotinjom Toxoplasma gondii na sisavce

undergraduate thesis

• Title (english): Effects of infection with protozoa Toxoplasma gondii in mammals
• Author: Ana Drempetić
• Mentor: Renata Matoničkin Kepčija (mentor)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Science; (Department of Biology); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2010, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Biology

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii je parazitska praživotinja prisutna u organizmu toplokrvnih životinja. Da bi dovršila svoj životni ciklus mora dospjeti u organizam mačke jer se jedino u predstavnicima te porodice može razmnožavati. U svom životnom putu parazit nailazi na razne domaćine, od prijelaznih pa čak i slijepih. Da bi si povećao vjerojatnost prijelaza iz prijelaznog u konačnog domaćina, razvile su se određene evolucijske prilagodbe. Sposobnost kojom T. gondii raspolaže je sposobnost manipulacije ponašanjem domaćina. Parazit utječe na ponašanje miševa na taj način da ublaži njihov urođeni strah od mačaka i samim time miš postaje lak plijen, a parazit uspije prijeći u mačku. Ljudi su slijepi domaćini za T. gondii. Parazit ostaje zauvijek „zarobljen“ u organizmu čovjeka jer gotovo da i ne postoji mogućnost da čovjek postane plijen divlje mačke, a samim time smrću čovjeka umire i parazit. Zadnjih godina otkriveno je da T. gondii ima utjecaj i na promjene u ponašanju čovjeka. T. gondii je uzročnik raznih bolesti fetusa, pa može dovesti i do njihove smrti. Dokazano je da je toksoplazmoza povezana i sa shizofrenijom, jer su kod mnogih shizofreničara u serumu pronađena antitijela na T. gondii, a i mnogi shizofreničari su u dijelu svog života imali kontakt s domaćim mačkama. Proučavanjem ovog parazita i njegovog utjecaja na čovjeka, razjašnjeni su mnogi mehanizmi bolesti i načini djelovanja lijekova.

Abstract (english)

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasitic protozoa present in warm – blood animal organisms. To complete its life cycle, the parasite must come into the cat´s body, because it can multiply only in the members of the cat family. In its lifetime the parasite meets various hosts, like intermediate and even blind hosts. To ensure the possibility of its reproduction while it is in the intermediate host, the parasite had to develop some abilities. The ability which T. gondii has, is the ability to manipulate with the host´s behaviour. The parasite influences mice´s behavior, in the way that the parasite decreases their innate fear of cats and in this way, a mouse becomes an easy prey, and the parasite manages to get into the cat. People are blind hosts for T. gondii. Parasite remains forever „ imprisoned“ in the human body because there is almost no possibility that the man. Recently, it has been also proved that it has an impact on changes of human behavior. T. gondii is a cause of various diseases of fetuses, and even their deaths. It has been proved that toxoplasmosis is associated with schizofrenia, because in the serum of many schizophrenics T. gondii antibodies were found, and many schizophrenics at some period of their life had contacts with domestic cats. The study of this parasite and its impact on humans, explained many mechanisms of diseases and the ways drugs act.

• Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii; infekcije
• Keywords (english): Toxoplasma gondii; infections
• Language: croatian
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:217:172366
• Study programme: Title: Ecology; Study programme type: university; Study level: undergraduate; Academic / professional title: sveučilišni/a prvostupnik/prvostupnica (baccalaureus/baccalaurea) biologije (sveučilišni/a prvostupnik/prvostupnica (baccalaureus/baccalaurea) biologije)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2018-03-23 09:43:53