Behavior-altering parasite

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Behavior-altering parasites are parasites capable of causing changes in the behavior of their hosts species to enhance their transmission, sometimes directly affecting the hosts' decision-making and behavior control mechanisms. By way of example, a parasite that reproduces in an intermediate host may require, as part of their life cycle, that the intermediate host be eaten by a predator at a higher trophic level, and some parasites are capable of altering the behavior of the intermediate host to make such predation more likely; a mechanism that has been called parasite increased trophic facilitation or parasite increased trophic transmission. Examples can be found in bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and animals. Parasites may perform bodyguard manipulation to increase protection of the parasites or their offspring. Among the behavioral changes caused by parasites is carelessness, making their hosts easier prey. The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, for example, infects small rodents and causes them...

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