Pharyngeal Detection of Staphylococcus aureus as a Possible Factor Related to Disgust Sensitivity in Humans

Agnieszka Żelaźniewicz, Judyta Nowak-Kornicka, Renata Figura, Agata Groyecka-Bernard, Piotr Sorokowski and Bogusław Pawłowski
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Agnieszka Żelaźniewicz: Department of Human Biology, University of Wroclaw, 50-138 Wroclaw, Poland
Judyta Nowak-Kornicka: Department of Human Biology, University of Wroclaw, 50-138 Wroclaw, Poland
Renata Figura: Department of Human Biology, University of Wroclaw, 50-138 Wroclaw, Poland
Agata Groyecka-Bernard: Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, 50-529 Wroclaw, Poland
Piotr Sorokowski: Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, 50-529 Wroclaw, Poland
Bogusław Pawłowski: Department of Human Biology, University of Wroclaw, 50-138 Wroclaw, Poland

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-12

Abstract: Disgust triggers behavioral avoidance of pathogen-carrying and fitness-reducing agents. However, because of the cost involved, disgust sensitivity should be flexible, varying as a function of an individual’s immunity. Asymptomatic colonization with Staphylococcus aureus often results from weakened immunity and is a potential source of subsequent infections. In this study, we tested if pharyngeal colonization with S. aureus , evaluated based on a single swab collection, is related to an individual’s disgust sensitivity, measured with the Three Domain Disgust Scale. Levels of immunomodulating hormones (cortisol and testosterone), general health, and body adiposity were controlled. Women ( N = 95), compared to men ( N = 137), displayed higher sexual disgust sensitivity, but the difference between individuals with S. aureus and without S. aureus was significant only in men, providing support for prophylactic hypothesis, explaining inter-individual differences in disgust sensitivity. Men (but not women) burdened with asymptomatic S. aureus presence in pharynx exhibit higher pathogen disgust ( p = 0.04) compared to individuals in which S. aureus was not detected. The positive relationship between the presence of the pathogen and sexual disgust was close to the statistical significance level ( p = 0.06), and S. aureus colonization was not related with moral disgust domain.

Keywords: prophylaxis; pathogen avoidance; health; behavioral flexibility; immunity; bacteria; asymptomatic colonization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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