Our method uses a statistical classification technique to classify people based on response times to simple tasks. It leverages a subtle effect observed in people with Rhesusnegative blood factor. Normally, Rhnegatives react slightly faster than Rh-positives, but become slower when infected with toxoplasmosis. This may be because the Rh-positive factor evolved as a partial response to some toxoplasmosis effects. Our response-time test works specifically for Rhesus-negative individuals, who comprised half our online survey participants. This does not limit our findings’ validity, because the serious consequences of toxoplasmosis affect everyone, regardless of blood type. If Rh-positives were somehow protected, we would observe more problematic behaviours among Rh-negatives, but we found no differences between the blood groups. AVOIDING EXPOSURE We should be concerned about toxoplasmosis. What can you do to protect yourself and your loved ones? If infected, treatment is available through your physician, though we currently lack any method to completely eliminate the parasite from the human body. Hence, prevention is essential. Most infections occur through direct exposure to cat faeces or by consuming poorly-washed vegetables or unpasteurised dairy products. Undercooked meat is also problematic, as farm pigs can contract toxoplasmosis from farm cats. These are some simple measures to follow, especially if you live with cats: 1 Thoroughly wash vegetables, cooking surfaces, and utensils. 2 Drink only pasteurised milk. 3 Avoid raw or undercooked meat. 4 Always garden with gloves in areas where cats might have been. Pregnant women should be particularly cautious, as recent infections can cross the placenta and seriously harm the fetus. Some countries, like France and Italy, conduct systematic toxoplasmosis testing for pregnant women. Finally, with all due respect to cat lovers, wherever that love might come from, if you are considering pet adoption and have not decided between a dog or cat, remember dogs do not transmit toxoplasmosis. FIFTY FOUR DEGREES | 37 Carlos Alós-Ferrer is a Chair Professor in the Department of Economics. His work focuses on understanding and improving human economic decisions, ranging from decisions under risk to strategic decisions and voting. The paper An Inexpensive Method to Measure Latent Toxoplasmosis and its Behavioral Consequences by Professor Anja Achtziger, of Zeppelin University Friedrichshafen; Professor Carlos Alós-Ferrer, of Lancaster University Management School; and Dr Michele Garagnani, of the University of Melbourne, is published in Acta Psychologica. c.alosferrer@lancaster.ac.uk
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