Toxocara seroprevalence in schizophrenic patients in Turkey.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the seroprevalence of toxocariasis in patients diagnosed as schizophrenia.


METHODS
Ninety-eight schizophrenic patients hospitalized at The Elazig Psychiatric Hospital were included in the study. Anti-Toxocara IgG and/or IgM antibodies were determined by using commercial Toxocara canis IgG and/or IgM ELISA kit.


RESULTS
Seropositivity for T. canis was detected in 45 (45.9%) of 98 patients and 2 (2.0%) of 100 control subjects the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). The seroprevalence was 40.4% (19 cases) and 51.0% (26 cases) for female and male subjects, respectively (p=0.3). When the seropositive and seronegative schizophrenic patients were compared with respect to the age group environment they were living in, occupation period of follow up and number of hospitalizations, there were no differences between the two groups (all, p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, the schizophrenic state seems to present a high risk for Toxocara infection in Turkey.
Kaplan
Mustafa
M
Department of Medical Parasitology, Firat University, Faculty of Medicine, TR-23119 Elazig, Turkey. mkaplan101@yahoo.com
Kalkan
Ahmet
A
Kuk
Salih
S
Demirdag
Kutbeddin
K
Ozden
Mehmet
M
Kilic
S Sirri
SS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000469:parasitology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014119:Toxocara / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M