Toxoplasmosis: Truth, Fiction, and Crazy Cat Ladies? Page 2 of 42
Maddie’s Institute
SM
, 6160 Stoneridge Mall Road, Suite 120, Pleasanton, CA 94588 www.maddiesinstitute.org institute@maddiesfund.org
So, here we go. I hope I can get it covered. I do have a lot of quiz
questions. This is a very interactive lecture. I've been asked to ask you to
hold your questions to the end because of the recording, so we'll try to do
that. But, I have a lot of questions for you. Some of this, I think, is going
to be challenging, depending on your background, so I'm going to ask you
to stick with me. I am throwing a bunch of science at you, because I think
it's important that you understand what the concerns are as we then move
into discussing the politics and the public health issues that have come up.
"Truth, Fiction, and Crazy Cat Ladies" – we'll cover all three of those for
sure. Let's start here. Your first quiz question: “Is Toxoplasma a bacteria,
a virus, a fungus, a protozoa, or a worm?” Go ahead and vote. You vote
by, one, turning your clicker on, and then choosing A through E. Let's see
how you do. Indeed. Toxoplasma is a protozoa, so 45% of you got that
right. If you didn't get it right, don't feel bad because House didn't get it
right either. The reason [why] that picture is up there is [because] in 2005
they had an episode where somebody contracted toxoplasmosis and they
called it a fungus. I remember sitting there watching that episode in real
time – it was when it was still on prime time – and they called it a fungus.
I'm like, "Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?" Because, really, I
have this secret fantasy of working in Hollywood as a medical advisor for
television shows. I've always wanted to do that, and it makes me crazy
when they get it wrong.