5 NOTES

1. Some Parasites Can Control Minds! Toxoplasma gondii can alter the behavior of infected rodents, making them attracted to cats—helping the parasite get into its preferred host.
2. Leeches Have Been Medical MVPs! Leeches have been used for centuries in medicine—and even today, they're used to improve blood flow after surgery.
3. One Parasite Has 17 Hosts! The liver fluke has an incredibly complex life cycle, hopping between snails, ants, and grazing animals just to reach adulthood.
4. Some Fish Go Blind—On Purpose! The pearl fish lives inside a sea cucumber’s rear end for protection. Some species will even eat the host's internal organs!
5. Parasitic Plants Exist! Not all parasites are animals—dodder is a vine that wraps around other plants and sucks out their nutrients like a botanical vampire.