title: Toxoplasma Gondii Infection and Depression: A Case-Control Seroprevalence Study.
abstract: We assessed the association of Toxoplasma gondii infection and depression in a sample of psychiatric patients and control subjects without depression. We performed an age- and gender-matched case-control study of 89 patients suffering from depression attended in a public psychiatric hospital in Durango City, Mexico and 356 control subjects without depression from the general population of the same city. Participants were tested for the presence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies using enzyme-linked immunoassays. Anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies were found in 11 (12.4%) of the 89 cases and in 22 (6.2%) of the 356 controls (OR = 2.14; 95% CI: 1.00-4.59; P = 0.04). Anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies were found in four (19%) of 21 anti-T. gondii IgG seropositive controls but not in 11 anti-T. gondii IgG seropositive cases (P = 0.27). Patients aged 30 years old and younger had a significantly higher seroprevalence of T. gondii infection than controls of the same age group (P = 0.001). Results of the present study suggest a potential association between T. gondii infection and depression. Furthers studies to confirm our results and to determine the epidemiology of T. gondii in young depressed patients should be conducted.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N , 34000 Durango, Dgo, Mexico.
authors.forename: Cosme
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alvarado-Esquivel
authors.affiliation: Institute for Scientific Research "Dr. Roberto Rivera Damm," Juárez University of Durango State. Avenida Universidad S/N , 34000 Durango, Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Luis Francisco
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Anguiano
authors.affiliation: Institute for Scientific Research "Dr. Roberto Rivera Damm," Juárez University of Durango State. Avenida Universidad S/N , 34000 Durango, Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hernández-Tinoco
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N , 34000 Durango, Dgo, Mexico.
authors.forename: Luis Omar
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Berumen-Segovia
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Enfermería y Obstetricia, Juárez University of Durango State , Cuauhtémoc 223 norte, 34000 Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Yazmin Elizabeth
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Torres-Prieto
authors.affiliation: Institute for Scientific Research "Dr. Roberto Rivera Damm," Juárez University of Durango State. Avenida Universidad S/N , 34000 Durango, Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Estrada-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Institute for Scientific Research "Dr. Roberto Rivera Damm," Juárez University of Durango State. Avenida Universidad S/N , 34000 Durango, Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alma Rosa
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Pérez-Álamos
authors.affiliation: Hospital of Mental Health "Dr. Miguel Vallebueno", Servicios de Salud de Durango , Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: María Nalleli
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Jurado
authors.affiliation: Hospital of Mental Health "Dr. Miguel Vallebueno", Servicios de Salud de Durango , Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Molotla-de-León
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Enfermería y Obstetricia, Juárez University of Durango State , Cuauhtémoc 223 norte, 34000 Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Beristain-García
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N, 34000 Durango, Dgo, Mexico; General Hospital, Secretary of Health, Avenida 5 de febrero 220, 34000 Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rábago-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Institute for Microbiology and Hygiene, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité Medical School , Hindenburgdamm 27, D-12203 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Liesenfeld
keywords: Toxoplasmagondii; case–control study; depression; psychiatric patients; seroprevalence