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XP@
18th January 2006, 10:55
Yup cats as in the cute, furry animals that pester you every time the fridge is opened and insist on bringing presents at 2am.

The parasite Toxoplasma gondii which causes Toxoplasmosis in humans is passed on our furry little friends to somewhere between 30% & 60% of the population. According to a 2002 study Toxoplasmosis causes slowed reactions and decreased attention spans, giving an infected persion 2.6 times the chance of having a vehicle crash.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=117239

So the probability is you, or the person sat next to you has it. Oh, and every other person on the road has it...

Phurrball
18th January 2006, 11:03
Most interesting XP@ - nice to see properly cited scientific nomenclature too - no publications outside of scientific literature seem to think it's worth the effort...

Will peruse the article...

Coyote
18th January 2006, 11:08
That's all way over my head :confused:

Mooch
18th January 2006, 11:15
Hmm , own two cats (60-120 % chance), perhaps I should ride at the front on group rides. Was that a brake light I saw ......:blink:

WRT
18th January 2006, 11:30
So has anyone got a nice, easy (and above all) cheap way to cure oneself of said affliction?

N4CR
18th January 2006, 11:43
From what my mate was talking about it seems it only affects you when you are pregnant or have a very weak immune system (the slowness etc).

Posh Tourer :P
18th January 2006, 11:44
Hmmmm interesting reading...

Thanks for that, it was a needed bit of mental workout....

Posh Tourer :P
18th January 2006, 11:46
From what my mate was talking about it seems it only affects you when you are pregnant or have a very weak immune system (the slowness etc).

That would be the acute side of the infection. What the paper is saying is that there is a latent infection that affects you all the time as well, making a small difference, probably notably to your ability to concentrate for long periods of time.

Colapop
18th January 2006, 11:47
Got wto kittys. One is 3 ish and a mean hunter - excellent reactions and attention and the other is 12 weeks. I'm picking that the little 'un will be better than the biggun. So if I get something off either one I reckon I'll be better off!

Lou Girardin
18th January 2006, 12:12
That was on Prime last night. Fascinating stuff, the true meaning of catatonic. Will the cops develop sniffers for cat hair?
And what will the limit be?
Will the charge be, "Driving like a pussy"?

Grahameeboy
18th January 2006, 12:16
From what my mate was talking about it seems it only affects you when you are pregnant or have a very weak immune system (the slowness etc).

Yep and actually affects child and there is no cure once infection attacks the body.......my soon to be ex wife has partial blindness cause of it....nasty....avoid gardening, touching cat poos or their bottoms

SDU
18th January 2006, 14:47
Yup it is especially dangerous for unborn babies, not only should a pregnant woman avoid cleaning cat litter trays, she should also wear gloves when gardening and wash her hands after handling a cat, (as we all should) another way you can get Toxoplasmosis is through raw meat, Pregnant woman should wear gloves while cooking and ensure the meat is cooked.
You can be tested for it. Its not all bad, I think if you have already built up an immunity to toxo... prior to getting pregnant you won't pass in onto the foetus.
Is there a Dr in the house? Am I on track right?

Cheers
SDU

Grahameeboy
18th January 2006, 14:50
Yup it is especially dangerous for unborn babies, not only should a pregnant woman avoid cleaning cat litter trays, she should also wear gloves when gardening and was her hands after handling a cat, (as we all should) another way you can get Toxoplasmosis is through raw meat, Pregnant woman should wear gloves while cooking and ensure the meat is cooked.
You can be tested for it. Its not all bad, I think if you have already built up an immunity to toxo... prior to getting pregnant you won't pass in onto the foetus.
Is there a Dr in the house? Am I on track right?

Cheers
SDU

On track....my Daughter is immune from Toxo but has Spinal Muscular Atrophy instead....just cannot win eh?

Karma
18th January 2006, 14:50
a pregnant woman should wear gloves when gardening

What is she doing out of the kitchen!

Grahameeboy
18th January 2006, 14:51
What is she doing out of the kitchen!

picking the veges out of the vege garden to do the cooking silly......

Colapop
18th January 2006, 14:56
Oh you ARE silly Weasel!! (best camp voice)

C'mon GB off to the pub and back to man land.... Errr no I mean Blokesville.... Ummm no hang on... F*ck it!! Enough of the girly talk GB!

Grahameeboy
18th January 2006, 14:59
C'mon GB off to the pub and back to man land.... Errr no I mean Blokesville.... Ummm no hang on... F*ck it!! Enough of the girly talk GB!

oooer......flick of high heels.......you beasty

XXplosive
18th January 2006, 15:04
picking the veges out of the vege garden to do the cooking silly......


skills....:Punk:

DMNTD
18th January 2006, 15:05
Fark it...this has gone off topic anyway...


"One hot July day we found an old straggly cat at our door. She was a sorry sight. Starving, dirty, smelled terrible, skinny, and hair all matted down.
We didn't know what to call her, so we named her "Pussycat." We felt sorry for her, put her in a carrier, and we took her to the vet.
The vet decided to keep her for a day or so. He said he would let us know when we could come
and get her. My husband (the complainer) said, "OK, but don't forget to wash her, she stinks." He reminded the vet that it was his WIFE that wanted the dirty cat, not him.
My husband and my Vet don't see eye to eye. He calls my husband "El-Cheap-O," my husband calls him "El-Take-O." They love to hate each other, and they constantly "snipe" at each other, with my husband getting in the last word on this occasion.
The next day my husband had an appointment with his doctor, who is located next door to the vet. The doctor's office was full of people waiting to see him. A side door opened, and in leaned the vet; he had obviously seen my husband arrive. He looked straight at my husband and in a loud voice said,
"Your wife's pussy is finally clean and shaved, and she now smells like a rose. Oh, and by the way, I think she's pregnant and God only knows who the father is!" And then he closed the door.
Now THAT, my friends, is getting even !!!"

Karma
18th January 2006, 15:21
Fantastic..

Roki_nz
18th January 2006, 19:36
ha ha have six cats so i must be screwed lol

MacD
19th January 2006, 04:31
So the probability is you, or the person sat next to you has it. Oh, and every other person on the road has it...

You might also like to dwell on the fact that between 60-90% of the population has Herpes (HSV-1), and that over a 30 day period 98% of an asymptomatic study group shed virus particles in their tears and/or saliva.

Think about that next time you take public transport... ;)

Kaufman et al, 2005 (http://www.iovs.org/cgi/content/full/46/1/241)