From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2006-10-11 17:18:45 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] might be of interest to breeders who wind up with many males
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
This is a human study, but since ferrets can wind up with toxoplasmosis (th=
ough unlike cats they do not appear to pass it) this may be of interest:
BEGIN QUOTE
Press Releases
Heidelberg, 11 October 2006
Bad blood between boys and girls
Women infected with toxoplasmosis are more likely to have boys
=
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Women infected with dormant toxoplasmosis are more likely to give birth to =
boys than women who are Toxoplasma negative, according to research by S. Ka=
nkova and colleagues from the Departments of Parasitology, Microbiology and=
Zoology, Charles University; the Centre of Reproductive Medicine; and GynC=
entrum, in the Czech Republic. They found that the presence of the parasit=
e Toxoplasma gondii in the mothers=92 blood, one of the most common parasit=
es in humans with a worldwide prevalence of 20-80%, increased the likelihoo=
d that these women would give birth to a boy. This is the first study [1],=
published in Springer=92s journal Naturwissenschaften this week, to sugges=
t an effect of parasitic infection on the sex of a baby.
Kankova and colleagues analysed the effect of latent (or dormant) toxoplasm=
osis [2] on the probability of the birth of a boy in humans. Latent toxopl=
asmosis is asymptomatic but is usually a life-long infection characterised =
by the presence of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies in the blood.
They analysed over 1800 clinical records of babies born between 1996-2004 i=
n private maternity clinics in the Czech Republic. Women attending these p=
rivate clinics were routinely tested for toxoplasmosis. The records contai=
ned information on the mother=92s age, the concentration of anti-Toxoplasma=
antibodies in the mother=92s blood, previous deliveries and abortions, and=
the sex of the newborn.
On average worldwide, for every three children born, only one is a boy. Ka=
nkova=92s team found that Toxoplasma positive mothers gave birth to more bo=
ys than did Toxoplasma negative women. The probability of a male birth als=
o increased, up to two boys in three children, with increasing levels of an=
ti-Toxoplasma antibodies. According to the researchers, the increased surv=
ival of male embryos in infected women may be explained by toxoplasmosis=92=
modulating and suppressing effects on the immune system.
The authors caution that this observational study suggests that toxoplasmos=
is may be the cause of this increase in male births, but it cannot establis=
h cause and effect. They conclude that =93an independent confirmation of t=
his tentative conclusion by a manipulative experiment (by experimental infe=
ction of animals) is necessary.=94
1. Kankova S et al (2006). Women infected with parasite Toxoplasma have m=
ore sons.
(Naturwissenschaften, DOI 10.1007/s00114-006-0166-2)
2. Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by parasites transmitted to humans=
from consumption of raw or undercooked meat of an intermediate host (such =
as pig, sheep and rabbit) and food or water contaminated with soil containi=
ng cat feces. If a pregnant woman is infected with toxoplasmosis, this has=
potentially fatal consequences for the fetus.
Article is available to journalists as a pdf. =
Contact:
Joan Robinson
tel: +49 6221 487-8130
END QUOTE
Toxoplasmosis can also damage fetuses of either gender.
(It can survive in run-off and be picked up by shellfish. In the Pacific N=
W there are otter populations in serious risk because that mustelid cousin =
of ferrets is prone to very severe brain damage from Toxo infection.)
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