We often think of T. gondii infection as relatively asymptomatic, but this study highlights that for some people it may have significant health consequences later on, Christopher Lowry, CU Boulder professor in the Department of Integrative Physiology, said in a release.
The researchers did not, as they hypothesized, find an association between an infection to T. gondii and frailty, according to the study. However, they did find that those with a higher concentration of antibodies to the parasite were significantly more likely to be frail.
The parasite, called Toxoplasma gondii, affects about 11% of people in the United States, or roughly 40 million people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rates tend to be higher in older people, and in some countries, more than 60% of people have been infected, according to the CDC.
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