Toxoplasma gondii infection in first-episode and inpatient individuals with schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
A high seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection has been detected in psychiatric patients, particularly in schizophrenia cases.


METHODS
In the present study 98 patients suffering from schizophrenia (58 inpatients and 40 first-episode patients) and 96 control patients (50 healthy volunteers and 46 with a depressive disorder) were examined for the presence of both IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We applied the Bradford Hill criteria to identify the weight of causal inference.


RESULTS
The positivity rate of anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies among individuals with schizophrenia (57.1%) was significantly higher than in healthy controls (29.2%). There were no associations between immune status ratio (ISR) values and the risk of schizophrenia. The weight of evidence approach using the Bradford Hill criteria revealed a 92% probability of a causal association.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that exposure to T. gondii may lead to schizophrenia.
Hamidinejat
Hossein
H
Department of Pathobiology, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran. hamidinejat@yahoo.com
Ghorbanpoor
Massoud
M
Hosseini
Hamzeh
H
Alavi
Seyed Mohammad
SM
Nabavi
Leili
L
Jalali
Mohammad Hossein Razi
MH
Borojeni
Mehdi Pourmehdi
MP
Jafari
Hedieh
H
Mohammadaligol
Sara
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007297:Inpatients; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M