title: The role of latent toxoplasmosis in the aetiopathogenesis of schizophrenia--the risk factor or an indication of a contact with cat?
abstract: We assessed IgG antibody to Toxoplasma gondii in 300 inpatients with schizophrenia (SG), 150 outpatients with anxiety and depressive disorders (PCG), and 150 healthy blood donors (HCG). Seropositivity rates were 60.7% for SG, 36.7% for PCG, and 45.3% for HCG (p<0.001). The seropositivity rate for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies in SG was significantly higher that in PCG (chi2 = 23.11, OR = 2.66, p = 0.001) and HCG (chi2 = 9.52, OR = 1.86, p = 0.002). Among SG, 85% of those who reported close cat contact had IgG antibodies to T. gondii. Close cat contacts were reported by 59% of SG, 6% of PCG, and 9% of HCG (p<0.001). There was a nonsignificant positive association between toxoplasmosis and schizophrenia for people with a contact with a cat (OR = 2.221, p = 0.127, CI95 = 0.796-6.192), and significant negative association between toxoplasmosis and schizophrenia for people without contact with a cat (OR = 0.532, p = 0.009, CI95 = 0.332-0.854). Close cat contact (OR = 2.679, p<0.001), 51-65-year age group (OR = 1.703, p<0.001) and education [illiterate+primary (OR = 6.146, p<0.001) and high school (OR = 1.974, p = 0.023)] were detected as independent risk factors in multivariate logistic regression. The effect of toxoplasmosis on risk of schizophrenia disappeared in the complex model analyzed with multivariate logistic regression. In conclusion, our data suggest that the toxoplasmosis has no direct effect on the risk of schizophrenia in Turkey but is just an indication of previous contacts with a cat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Pelin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yuksel
authors.forename: Nihat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alpay
authors.forename: Cahit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Babur
authors.forename: Reha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bayar
authors.forename: Suat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saribas
authors.forename: Ali Riza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Karakose
authors.forename: Cana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aslan
authors.forename: Seyfi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehmetali
authors.forename: Selcuk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kilic
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Balcioglu
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hamanca
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dirican
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kucukbasmaci
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oner
authors.forename: Muzeyyen Mamal
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Torun
authors.forename: Bekir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kocazeybek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002415:Cats; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G