"研究顯示貓飼主有自殺風險"

許多飼主因為和動物近距離接觸，而感染一種危險的寄生蟲。

丹麥最近一份研究顯示貓飼主自殺傾向較一般人高。這與憂鬱症和精神疾病毫無關聯；此風險反而是和一種常見於貓糞中的寄生蟲有關。感染T. Gondii寄生蟲的人，是在清理貓砂時接觸到這些寄生蟲的，這些人的自殺率是一般人的1.5倍。

研究者觀察超過4.5萬女性貓飼主後，發現許多曾試圖尋短的人，同時也感染了T.gondii寄生蟲。此項研究的主要作者帝爾多波斯托拉榭博士總結表示：「我們不能斷定T. Gondii寄生蟲是這些女性自殺的直接原因…但我們在感染與之後企圖自殺之間，發現一項預見性的關聯，因此證明應做進一步的研究。」

研究者呼籲寵物飼主在清理貓砂時要當心，也建議孕婦完全不要去清理貓砂，因為寄生蟲可能會傷及胎兒。他們也認為，某些精神疾病的診斷與治療，應該參考此研究結果做出調整。

(Health)Study Shows Cat Owners are at Risk of Suicide

Many of them are infected with a dangerous parasite due to their close contact with the animals.

A recent Danish study has shown that cat owners are more likely to commit suicide. The connection has nothing to do with depression and mental health; instead, the risk is due to a parasite commonly found in cat feces. People infected with the T. gondii parasite, which they come into contact with when they change the cats litter tray, are 1.5 times more likely to attempt suicide.

The researchers looked at over 45,000 female cat owners and found that many of the people who had attempted suicide had also been infected with T. gondii. Dr. Teodor Postolache, the lead author of the study, concluded that we cant say with certainty that T. gondii caused the women to try to kill themselvesKbut we did find a predictive association between the infection and suicide attempts later in life that warrants additional studies.

The researchers are telling pet owners to be careful changing their cat litter, and they have advised pregnant women not to do it at all, as the parasite can cause problems for their fetuses. They also say that the diagnosis and treatment of certain mental problems should be altered in light of the findings.

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