Day 5: The Possibility of Zombies (Parasite)

Parasites are everywhere. In fact, we live with them for most of our lives in a balance that allows for their existence while maintaining our health. However, what if that balance was broken? Could Parasites be the cause of the zombie plague?

What are parasites and what do they do? A creature within. A creature that infests a host and lives off of the nutrients of that host until there is nothing left. Creatures that will stop at nothing to ensure their personal survival.

 

In fact, there are several known parasites that "control" their host at the cost of the host creature. For example, Toxoplasmosis gondii is found in rats. T. gondii forces rats to become attracted to cats with a seeming intent to get them eaten. The rats have no control, they walk willingly to their deaths. Toxoplasmosis is then passed to cats, who can then pass it to humans, and although there have been no documented cases of T. gondii taking control of an individual- who is to say it is not possible. And T. gondii isn't the only culprit. Dicrocoelium dendriticum is a parasite that takes control of ants. It not only forces them to perch on high leaves to wait to be eaten by local cattle, but also times the take-over for night to ensure that neither the ant or the parasite itself is damaged by the hot sun. Other insidious parasites, like Polysphincta gutfreundi, just make a home on a host species and then  suck it dry and, in this case, force it to build a nest for the parasite for after the host has died.

Point? Parasites are out there. Documented. Real. And while they haven't taken over anyone (to out knowledge) yet, we can see the potential they have to override a host's need for self preservation. Think    "The Happening (2008)", "The Thing (1982 recommended, 2011)", or even "Resident Evil".

Although I do have to throw in that parasites would probably never actually produce a zombie plague by definition because a parasite requires a living host- but still, imagine your world where humans have no free thought, were they are subject to the will of something that controls their actions and thoughts.

Resident Evil "Zombie" & Dog

Still pretty scary, huh?



References:
http://www.cracked.com/article_15643_5-scientific-reasons-zombie-apocalypse-could-actually-happen.html

http://www.businessinsider.com/scariest-parasites-in-the-world-2012-6?op=1