No evidence of relation between maternal exposure to herpes simplex virus type 2 and risk of schizophrenia?
OBJECTIVE
The authors examined whether maternal exposure to herpes virus type 2 is associated with risk for adult schizophrenia.


METHODS
The authors studied a large birth cohort, born 1959-1967, with follow-up for schizophrenia from 1981 through 1997. Sixty patients were diagnosed with schizophrenia and other spectrum disorders; 110 comparison subjects had no schizophrenia spectrum or major affective disorders and were matched to patients by date of birth, gender, time in the cohort, and availability of maternal sera. Archived maternal sera of patients and comparison subjects from late pregnancy were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for immunoglobulin (IgG) antibody to herpes simplex virus type 2.


RESULTS
The authors found no associations between maternal IgG seropositivity or antibody levels to herpes simplex virus type 2 and risk of schizophrenia.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors found no support for a relationship between prenatal herpes simplex virus 2 type exposure and risk of schizophrenia.
Brown
Alan S
AS
New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Dr., Unit 23, New York, NY 10032, USA. asb11@columbia.edu
Schaefer
Catherine A
CA
Quesenberry
Charles P
CP
Shen
Ling
L
Susser
Ezra S
ES
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000276:immunology*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G