Bob Yirka is a research scientist at Phys.org.
The wolves in the park who become sick with the Toxoplasma gondii are more likely to become the leader of their pack. The group analyzed data from studies of the wolves in the park over the course of 26 years.
T. gondii is a parasites that can cause diseases in animals. Almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans, have toxoplasmosis, which is an infectious disease. There is some evidence that indicates that symptoms can lead to an increase in aggressive behavior.
The researchers wondered if the infections of T. gondii would affect the wolves. They studied wolves in the park.
Blood samples from over 200 wolves living in the park over the years 1995– 2020 were studied to look for evidence of infections. The researchers looked at the notes made by research observers to see if there were any changes to the wolves' behavior.
Young wolves were more likely to leave their packs early than older wolves. As soon as six months after birth, 50% of men with infectious diseases left their pack. Men usually stay for up to 21 months. Females who were HIV positive were 25% more likely to leave their pack at 30 months.
The researchers found that men who were HIV positive were more likely to become pack leaders than men who weren't. The impact of the parasites on the brain of wolves made them bolder and less likely to back down when challenged.
In Communications Biology, Connor J. Meyer and his colleagues show that parasitic infections increase risk-taking in a social, intermediate host. There is a DOI titled " 10.1038/s4 2003-022-041".
Journal information: Communications Biology
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