A parasite called Toxoplasma gondii lurks inside 1 in 3 people worldwide, hiding out in the brain and other organs. Now, scientists have hijacked this microorganism to shuttle drugs into the brain — ...

illustration of single-cell parasites floating through the bloodstream alongside blood cells The parasite Toxoplasma gondii hides in up to half of humans, although it rarely causes symptoms. But when ...

When a parasite infects a host, it can manipulate host behavior, which may help spread the parasite to new hosts, or enable the parasite to complete its life cycle. Parasitic worms known as hairworms ...

A parasite known for its ability to influence the minds of its hosts also hijacks the immune system, a new study finds. In fact, the parasite uses cells that would normally help defeat it as transport ...