Sex-dependent toxoplasmosis-associated differences in testosterone concentration in humans

• Published in: Parasitology Vol. 135; no. 4; pp. 427 - 431
• Main Authors: FLEGR, J., LINDOVÁ, J., KODYM, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.04.2008
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; androgens; Animals; Antibodies, Protozoan - blood; behaviour; Biological and medical sciences; Carbon dioxide; Complement Fixation Tests; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; General aspects and techniques. Study of several systematic groups. Models; hormones; Humans; infection; Invertebrates; Laboratory animals; Male; manipulation; Parasites; Psychology; Saliva - parasitology; Sex Factors; Studies; Testosterone; Testosterone - blood; Toxoplasma; Toxoplasma - isolation & purification; Toxoplasmosis; Toxoplasmosis - blood; Toxoplasmosis - parasitology; Toxoplasma; infection; behaviour; androgens; hormones; manipulation; Human; Hormone; Protozoa; Apicomplexa; Protozoal disease; Sex; Parasite; Parasitosis; Infection; Testosterone; Toxoplasmosis; Manipulation
• ISSN: 0031-1820; 1469-8161; 1469-8161
• DOI: 10.1017/S0031182007004064

Several lines of indirect evidence suggest that subjects with latent infection of the coccidian parasite Toxoplasma gondii have a higher concentration of testosterone than uninfected controls. Here, we searched for direct evidence of latent toxoplasmosis-associated differences in testosterone concentration among a population of 174 female and 91 male students screened for Toxoplasma infection. We have found Toxoplasma-infected men to have a higher concentration of testosterone and Toxoplasma-infected women to have a lower concentration of testosterone than Toxoplasma-free controls. The opposite direction of the testosterone shift in men compared to women can explain the observed gender specificity of behavioural shifts in Toxoplasma-infected subjects.