Shocking truth about parasites that turn animals into zombies

They do not kill the host immediately, but turn that body into a survival tool. The ability to control behavior through genes makes everyone shudder.

1. Re-establish host behavior by genetic intervention. For example, Toxoplasma gondii, when infecting mice, can cause the mice to lose their fear of cats – this allows the parasite to return to its life cycle in the cat, the final host. Photo: Pinterest.

2. Glyptapanteles wasps use caterpillars as “bodyguards.” The larvae of these wasps parasitize caterpillars and when they emerge to pupate, they cause the caterpillars to stand still and twitch to ward off predators. Photo: Charlie Marley | Flickr.

3. The tapeworm Leucochloridium paradoxum turns snails into “living beacons”. They invade the snail’s eye tentacles, causing them to swell and change color continuously to attract birds to eat them – helping the tapeworm return to its main host, the bird. Photo: Pinterest.

4. The parasitic baculovirus causes caterpillars to climb before dying. The virus reprograms its genome and disrupts brain tissue, causing the host to climb, disintegrate, and release the virus into the ground via rainwater – an effective dispersal strategy. Photo: igbmc.fr.

5. Some parasitic fungi, such as Ophiocordyceps, control insects like zombies. The fungi grow inside the bodies of ants or spiders, controlling them to climb high leaves and die clinging to them – where the fungi spread spores most effectively. Photo: Pinterest.

6. Some parasites manipulate the hormonal system to create pseudo-reproductive behavior. Sacculina carcini (a species that lives on crabs) causes both male and female crabs to nurse parasitic eggs as if they were mothers, even though they carry no genetic offspring. Photo: Pinterest.

7. Humans can also be affected by parasites. For example, Toxoplasma gondii has been linked to personality changes, increased risk of mental illness and behavioral disorders in humans. Photo: Pinterest.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/su-that-gay-soc-ky-sinh-trung-bien-dong-vat-thanh-zombie-post1553470.html