article_snippet: A 'zombie' parasite can turn animals to cannibalism, researchers have found.
article_snippet: Dr Alison Dunn said: 'Our research does not suggest any link between parasites and human cannibalism. '
article_snippet: It seems unlikely that a parasite would be under evolutionary pressure to influence cannibalism in humans.'
article_snippet: Dr Alison Dunn, Reader in Evolutionary Biology in the University of Leeds' Faculty of Biological Sciences, who led their study in in Royal Society Open Science, said: 'Cannibalism is actually fairly common in nature.
article_snippet: Our work is the first study to ask if cannibalism is affected by being parasitised.'
article_snippet: and they all rely on the host for food. '
article_snippet: This increased demand for food by the parasites may drive the host to be more cannibalistic.'
article_snippet: Researchers say Researchers does not suggest any link between parasites and human cannibalism .
article_snippet: Dunn Dr Dunn said: 'Our research does not suggest any link between parasites and human cannibalism. '
article_snippet: It seems unlikely that a parasite would be under evolutionary pressure to influence cannibalism in humans.'