TechWEIRD SCIENCE

Another Cat Parasite Can Infect Humans, Huge Study Shows How Common

Researchers behind the large study examined how widespread the second cat-linked parasite is among people; toxoplasmosis is no longer the only one on the list.

On air: Kenji Moonfield and Vera Bullock on Late Night BBN
Published 10:36 PM ET, Friday, October 16, 2026

Photo: Karin Langner-Bahmann , upload von Martin Bahmann · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 3.0

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Kenji Moonfield and Vera Bullock on this story, from Late Night BBN at 10:36 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are ScienceAlert's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Karin Langner-Bahmann , upload von Martin Bahmann · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Cat — Photo: Karin Langner-Bahmann , upload von Martin Bahmann · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 3.0

At a glance

First reported by ScienceAlert: “There's Another Cat Parasite That Can Infect Humans. A Huge Study Reveals How Common It Is.”
Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 10:36 PM ET on Late Night BBN, by Kenji Moonfield and Vera Bullock.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

ScienceAlertThere's Another Cat Parasite That Can Infect Humans. A Huge Study Reveals How Common It Is.

What BBN said about it

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThere's a second cat parasite that can infect humans, and a huge study looked at how common it is, ScienceAlert reports.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSecond. So toxoplasmosis was just the pilot, and the cat got renewed for another season.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThe headline says move over, toxoplasmosis, which to me sounds like a chance for a lesser-known parasite to finally get its moment.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentVera is rooting for the parasite.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorI'm saying everybody deserves a platform, Kenji. You could learn from that instead of filming your cat at three in the morning for strangers.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentThat's not strangers, that's an audience. My cat has more followers than me, and it has never once replied to a comment.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorSo the cat is the influencer.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentAnd now it has a second parasite to tag in. That's basically a crossover event, and I'm the intern who cleans the litter box.

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