Wellnews by Scott LaFee

Here's a new excuse for your insurance company next time you're in a fender bender: It's a parasite's fault.

Czech Republic researchers say that people who lack a particular protein in their blood cells and are infected with a common parasite called Toxoplasma have slower reaction times.

In rats, the natural host of Toxoplasma, the parasite infects the brain, altering the rodent's behavior so it becomes more reckless and more likely to be eaten by a cat, who then passes along the parasite in its fecal matter. People become infected by eating undercooked meat from animals that have had contact with infected cat feces.

Toxoplasma is known to harm human fetuses, but it was generally presumed to be otherwise harmless until evidence began emerging that the parasite affects human brains, too. The Czech research narrows the effect to infected people who also have Rh-negative blood, which is relatively rare.

Nonetheless, the scientists suggest between 400,000 and 1 million road deaths each year around the world may be, in part, due to toxoplasma infections slowing the reaction times of drivers.

BODY OF KNOWLEDGE

A true black eye is not known in humans. The colored iris of the human eye is a complex genetic trait. Depending on the amount of different pigments in the coloration of an eye, color varies from very light blue to very dark brown, but never true black.

GET ME THAT. STAT!

In a first-of-its-kind study, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine reports that roughly 9,300 Americans are injured each year by their computers. We're not talking about carpal tunnel syndrome, eye fatigue or the various aches and pains of using computers; we're talking about cuts and bruises and dropping a laptop on your toes.

The vast majority of the injuries — 93 percent — occur at home.

The most frequently diagnosed injury was a laceration, comprising 39 percent of cases. Among adults, the primary causes were inadvertently hitting a device, getting a body part caught on a computer or having one fall on you.

NUMBER CRUNCHER

A half-cup of orange sherbet (4 fluid ounces) contains 107 calories, 13 from fat. It has 1.5 grams of total fat or 2 percent of the recommended total fat intake for a 2,000-calorie daily diet.

It also contains 1 milligram of cholesterol (0 percent); 34 mg of sodium (1 percent); 22.5 grams of total carbohydrates (7 percent); 1 g of dietary fiber (4 percent); 18 g of sugar; and 0.8 g of protein.

MEDTRONICA

Insureblog

http://insureblog.blogspot.com/

Insurance professionals tackle thought-provoking issues about health-insurance policies and problems. It also provides links to other relevant sites.

PHOBIA OF THE WEEK

Hellenologophobia — fear of Greek terms or complex scientific terminology

OBSERVATION

A male gynecologist is like an auto mechanic who has never owned a car.

— Comedian Carrie Snow

CURTAIN CALLS

After Vo Lieu, 74, died of natural causes in Vietnam, his children administered a sedative to his grieving widow to prevent her from screaming at the funeral. The widow died of an overdose before the ceremony.

A joint funeral was then held, but the truck transporting the coffins careered out of control, crashing into the procession. One man was killed and six others were injured.

To find out more about Scott Lafee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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