This blog provides scientific facts, information and research regarding the growing spread of toxoplasmosis in our communities - and to our children, particularly in unprotected play areas. Over one third of the world's population is infected, and more than 60 million Americans, The US CDC states this "neglected parasite" is the second leading killer of food borne diseases.
Where Are We Heading? "Social Media" - Democracy's New Tool - "With the People"
Good Afternoon Learned Friends, Followers,Supporters and Colleagues:
Many folks, journalists and pundits around the world have been asking us lately where are we going with this case or story? Well, "it is a road less travelled" - we are known to often remark; then we provide these insights from one of our future commentaries, scheduled to be released for global publication in the near future .
And that you see... is making all the difference'
@johntoryTO
Toronto Animal Services Saga
PART 1
"We the People - With the People"
Social Media, firstly, offers many new ways to put the democratic process back into the hands of the people, everyday. It can be used to ensure that democracy is just not a one day election event. One where "We the People" bestows the privilege to, elected and their hired officials, the responsibilities for our government's daily actions and decisions. With these new tools, we now no longer need to rely solely on either "Election Day" or mainstream media platforms, who control and filter our voices, with the vested and special interests of their own agenda.
Long ago, democracy's forebears spoke of the critical prepositions known to forge the cornerstones of its beliefs - and that all democratic governments "should act by, for and of the people." One preposition went missing; however, from these cornerstones -"WITH." And as a result of its absence, the needs of the vast majority have been diluted and the accountability to the people nearly lost, over the ensuing time.
Yet today, with the new powers that rest in the tools of Social Media devices "We the People" have the hopeful, willful powers to restore accountability and openness to all governments, everywhere - and at all its levels, and various forms . For now, more than ever before, these officials elected or otherwise, will discover: "There is nowhere to run. There is no where to hide. Anymore!"
Most significantly, also from hereon in, there is a new preposition that will forge and work side-by-side with its elder statesmen and highly-regarded kinfolks - "Of, By and For" - and in so doing, promises to profoundly reshape the maturity, accountability and daily efficacy of all democracies everywhere - "WITH" .
Follow these featured Toronto Animal Services Case articles as we operate to show and exemplify how today's Social Media tools of "With the People" democracy can bring daily and ongoing accountability to democratic governments, here and abroad. For in the end analysis, it is "We the People" who determines and decides the constitutional fabric of governments, its laws, processes and justice systems, and then bargain to unconditionally defend, abide by and work within its on-going administrations. But who also, under these sacred fabrics - designs, bargains and demands a categorical social contract that requires complete and absolute government transparency and accountability to and with the people - all of the time!
For "We the People," without qualifications of any sort, set the ground rules requiring those elected or hired officials, - "who have only a momentary "honour and privilege" granted and bestowed upon them, by the people, to govern and act on their behalf" - to sensibly and openly represent, discharge and implement our inalienable collective rights and interests. Moreover, they can only to do so, under a framework that deeply embodies our time-tested, self-evident democratic truths and defining prepositions...
"Of, By, For and With the People"
So, to our thousands of friends, supporters, followers and journalists world wide, we say - stay tuned and read more, as we expose and act to bring openness, accountability and transparency to those government practices that are tainted by any form or hint of fraudulence, incompetence or corruption. Or what is often simply coined, by many, as - "Just Keeping Them Honest!"
For as applied Social Media unfolds, more than ever before, these officials elected or otherwise, will simply discover:
SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: Toxoplasmosis, congenital toxoplasmosis, toxoplasma infection Footnote1Footnote2.
CHARACTERISTICS: Toxoplasma gondii belong to the phylum Apicomplexa and family Sarcocystidae. They are obligate intracellular parasitic protozoa Footnote3. Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite of birds and mammals. Felines are the only definitive host and the only animals that pass infective oocysts in their feces. Warm-blooded animals, including humans, are intermediate hosts that harbour tissue cysts in their bodies. Three major infectious stages and major morphological forms occur: oocyst-containing two sporocysts and four sporozoites each, quickly-multiplying tachyzoites, and slow-growing bradyzoites contained in persistent tissue cysts Footnote3. Infection is most often initiated through the ingestion of oocysts containing sporozoites or cysts containing bradyzoites in contaminated food or water. Following ingestion, the sporozoites or bradyzoites invade the intestinal epithelium and differentiate to tachyzoites, which disseminate and replicate within the new host. In feline infections, T.gondii sexual reproduction is enteroepithelial and asexual reproduction is extraintestinal. Intermediate hosts only experience extraintestinal infection Footnote4. Generally, oocysts are spherical and measure 10x12 µm, sporozoites measure 2x6 µm, tachyzoites are crescent-shaped and 2x6 µm, tissue cysts are spheroid and have a diameter of 5 µm - 70 µm, bradyzoites measure 7x1.5 µm Footnote4Footnote5.
SECTION II - HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
PATHOGENICITY/TOXICITY: Toxoplasma gondii infection is usually non-pathogenic in immunocompetent adults. The major pathogenic factor is proliferation of tachyzoites, destroying host cells faster than they can regenerate. In acute infection, mild symptoms can arise, including fever, rash, headache, lymphadenopathy, organomegaly (liver and/or spleen), weight loss, weakness, pneumonia, and myalgia Footnote6. More severe symptoms are rare and mostly affect immunocompromised patients, although they can also develop in immunocompetent individuals. These include retinochoroiditis, and severe encephalitis Footnote6. Congenital infection can result in abortion or stillbirth, and live births may demonstrate the congenital toxoplasmosis syndrome - mental retardation, malformation, retinochoroiditis, strabismus, nystagmus, microphthalmia, and cataracts Footnote6Footnote7. Severity of transplacental infection is inversely proportional to gestational age, but the rate of vertical transmission is more frequent as the pregnancy progresses Footnote7. Persisting tissue cysts in a victim’s brain may cause psychosis Footnote8. Ocular toxoplasmosis is responsible for 30% – 60% of retinochoroiditis cases Footnote6.
Canadians should be terribly concerned as their government research (above) in this area falls way short of the scientific studies, reports, policies and conclusions by international authorities. Consider the Official US - Centre Disease Control - concludes that toxoplasmosis is the second leading cause of foodborne deaths, and we can only isolate and report ONE???
That makes no sense whatsoever as the comparative gap between US and Canadian findings is just too large. Someone must be wrong, and given the other international research, the weight of evidence clearly favours the American conclusions. Begging the next question: Why are we so far behind in this area?
Australian Federal Government Meanwhile Spending $1 Billion To Eradicate Feral Cats
As feral cats are the primary source of the parasite - toxoplasma gondii that creates the the "toxoplasmosis disease" in warm blooded animals, Australia has put this issue on the front burner with near drastic measures to clean up this health and economic problem in their country. Again this suggests that the Canadian research and reports leave much to be desired in light of growing international awareness and stiff actions.
Moreover, the hype and crazy concerns are now being raised in more "unreliable secondary media sources", that are unfettered and uncensored zanny Americans (Listen to the Radio Cast below) by vested or special interests. Normally we would take such overly dramatic discussions in earnest, but unfortunately there is a growing body of scientific evidence that suggests that even in its latent form this parasite is actually eating away at our neurological connectors and structure.
Whatever it is up to - it simply can't be good for the hosts, and in fact could be the doomsday bug many have predicted in the past. A very scary nightmare coming true...
"Babies born to infected women, and people with weakened immune systems, are at greatest risk for severe symptoms of toxoplasmosis."
For some people, toxoplasmosis is a serious condition.
At its worst, toxoplasmosis can cause damage to the brain, eyes or other organs, according to the CDC. Symptoms can include flu-like swollen glands, muscle aches and pains, and some vision problems.
University of Montana Microbiology Professor Bill Granath tells KPAX-TV that some studies show the parasite can also cause personality changes that correlate with mental health issues such as schizophrenia, autism and Alzheimer’s disease, and that some studies have also found infected women were more prone to suicide.
Various studies also correlate toxoplasmosis with suicide in veterinarians – and while nothing says definitively that the phenomenon is caused by the parasite – some believe there is a link,” the KPAX report said.
Cats are where Toxoplasma multiplies. Most people are also unaware when their cat gets infected with Toxoplasma.
Toxoplasma is spread in the feces of a cat infected with it, but cats rarely have symptoms of infection. Cats get it by eating infected rodents, which reportedly lose their fear of cats as a side-effect of their own Toxoplasma infection. When the rodents approach the cat, they are eaten and thus infect the cat.
The CDC recommends cat owners change their litter box daily, since Toxoplasma does not become infectious until 1 to 5 days after it is shed in a cat’s feces; avoid handling or adopting stray cats; keep cats indoors; keep outdoor sandboxes covered and avoid feeding raw or undercooked meats to cats.
Toxoplasma is also found in uncooked and undercooked meat, poultry and shellfish. It can be spread by eating those foods, and by contact with utensils used to handle and prepare them.
"Babies born to infected women, and people with weakened immune systems, are at greatest risk for severe symptoms of toxoplasmosis."
For some people, toxoplasmosis is a serious condition.
At its worst, toxoplasmosis can cause damage to the brain, eyes or other organs, according to the CDC. Symptoms can include flu-like swollen glands, muscle aches and pains, and some vision problems.
University of Montana Microbiology Professor Bill Granath tells KPAX-TV that some studies show the parasite can also cause personality changes that correlate with mental health issues such as schizophrenia, autism and Alzheimer’s disease, and that some studies have also found infected women were more prone to suicide.
Various studies also correlate toxoplasmosis with suicide in veterinarians – and while nothing says definitively that the phenomenon is caused by the parasite – some believe there is a link,” the KPAX report said.
Cats are where Toxoplasma multiplies. Most people are also unaware when their cat gets infected with Toxoplasma.
Toxoplasma is spread in the feces of a cat infected with it, but cats rarely have symptoms of infection. Cats get it by eating infected rodents, which reportedly lose their fear of cats as a side-effect of their own Toxoplasma infection. When the rodents approach the cat, they are eaten and thus infect the cat.
The CDC recommends cat owners change their litter box daily, since Toxoplasma does not become infectious until 1 to 5 days after it is shed in a cat’s feces; avoid handling or adopting stray cats; keep cats indoors; keep outdoor sandboxes covered and avoid feeding raw or undercooked meats to cats.
Toxoplasma is also found in uncooked and undercooked meat, poultry and shellfish. It can be spread by eating those foods, and by contact with utensils used to handle and prepare them.
Your assistance is much appreciated, and "Please Tweet" - #ToxoTO - to register your support. Let's get make our sandlots and playgrounds safe for our children. Thanks.