With the season premiere of the Walking Dead coming back on this Sunday it got me thinking if a zombie apocalypse could happen, and in what ways would it be possible. On the show
of the Walking Dead the viewer is never told how the virus started, however; they are given information as the show goes on. The big problem in the Walking Dead is that everyone is infected with the virus; this means it doesn’t matter how you die you come back as a zombie either way. Given this information it is said that the virus is airborne and that is why so many people are infected. The zombies are an added threat in this world and although the bite doesn’t make you a zombie directly it gives you a very high fever. This fever kills you very fast and that is why it is such a problem.
A way a zombie apocalypse could be real today is through parasites. There is one parasite known as Toxoplasma Gondii that fits the description of what is in the show. This parasite is in over half of the worlds population. The way this parasite works is that is can only reproduce inside of cats as of now. The parasite is capable of infecting most animals in the world including 
humans. This parasite can be in humans without them even knowing it; that is why over half the worlds population is infected and it is not making headlines When this parasite is in a health human the immune system is able to keep it under control and it is not a problem (Source). When you become sick and your immune system is weakened and this parasite can become a problem. In cats this parasite can take over muscle and brain functions which is why this has zombie like characteristics.
This parasite relates to the walking dead because of how many people who already carry the parasite. Although this disease is dormant in humans now if this parasite were to mutate this could lead to a zombie like scenario. If the parasite were to become active after the host has died and take over the brain and muscle functions like it can we cats this would be a way for a zombie apocalypse to start. I don’t believe we have anything to worry about in the near future I am just a fan of the show and thought this was an interesting way of it happening.
Picture Sources
http://screenrant.com/tag/the-walking-dead/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii
I am also a big fan of the show, but I could never have imagined that there may be a realistic way of the zombie apocalypse actually happening. I wonder if the mad cow disease could also be a way that a zombie virus can surface.
http://www.themarysue.com/zombie-apocalypse/
Although this was an interesting thought, I’m going to have to disagree with you. Aside from your rather weak sources, I do not think your argument has much credibility. Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite, but according to http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/gen_info/faqs.html the average person’s immune system can fight it off. Only the children, the elderly, and pregnant women need to watch out for it. Also, I a a little confused in your article because at first you said it only affects cats, but in the next sentence you say it can affect humans (which it can). Ultimately this was a good idea, but I think it needs a little TLC.
This is definitely one of the best topics for a blog post. Although I haven’t watched the recent two season, I have been a fan of the show since the beginning. I have always had this question in my head and I really hope it never happens. However I think this was very interesting and I had no idea there was an actual parasite that could cause humans to act like zombies. Check out this article about your topic