Associations between Chlamydophila infections, schizophrenia and risk of HLA-A10.
Several microbes have been suspected as pathogenetic factors in schizophrenia. We have previously observed increased frequencies of chlamydial infections and of human lymphocyte antigen (HLA)-A10 in independent studies of schizophrenia. Our aim here was to analyze frequencies of three types of Chlamydiaceae in schizophrenic patients (n=72), random controls (n=225) and hospital-patient controls (n=36), together with HLA-A genotypes. Patients were diagnosed with schizophrenia according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV. Blood samples were collected at the beginning of hospitalization and analyzed with Chlamydiaceae species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Control panels consisted of randomly selected volunteers and hospitalized, non-schizophrenic patients. We found chlamydial infection in 40.3% of the schizophrenic patients compared to 6.7% in the controls. The association of schizophrenia with Chlamydiaceae infections was highly significant (P=1.39 x 10(-10), odds ratio (OR)=9.43), especially with Chlamydophila psittaci (P=2.81 x 10(-7), OR=24.39). Schizophrenic carriers of the HLA-A10 genotype were clearly most often infected with Chlamydophila, especially C. psittaci (P=8.03 x 10(-5), OR=50.00). Chlamydophila infections represent the highest risk factor yet found to be associated with schizophrenia. This risk is even further enhanced in carriers of the HLA-A10 genotype.
Fellerhoff
B
B
Institute of Immunology, Ludwig-Maximilans University of Munich, Munich, Germany. barbara.fellerhoff@med.uni-muenchen.de
Laumbacher
B
B
Mueller
N
N
Gu
S
S
Wank
R
R
D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications*; D002693:Chlamydiaceae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012306:Risk; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology
D015234:HLA-A Antigens; C039682:HLA-A10 antigen