title: Lack of association between Toxoplasma gondii exposure and depression in pregnant women: a case-control study.
abstract: Very little is known about the link of T. gondii infection and depression. Through an age-, gender-, and month of pregnancy-matched case-control study, we determined the association of T. gondii infection and depression in pregnant women.
  
  
  
  We studied 200 pregnant women with depression and 200 pregnant women without depression attended in a public hospital in Durango City, Mexico. Pregnant women were tested for the presence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA), and IgG seropositive women were further tested for the presence of IgM using an EIA. IgM positivity by EIA was further analyzed by enzyme-linked fluorescence assay (ELFA).
  
  
  
  Anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies were found in 9 (4.5%) of the 200 cases and in 12 (6.0%) of the 200 controls (OR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.30-1.79; P = 0.50). The frequency of high (>150 IU/ml) anti-T. gondii IgG levels was similar in cases and in controls (OR = 1.20; 95% CI: 0.36-4.01; P = 0.75). Two women were positive for IgM by EIA but both were negative by ELFA.
  
  
  
  We did not find serological evidence of an association between T. gondii infection and depression in pregnant women attended in a public hospital in Durango City, Mexico. Since an association of T. gondii and depression in pregnancy has been reported in the U.S. previously, further research to elucidate the role of T. gondii in prenatal depression should be conducted.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N, 34000, Durango, Dgo, Mexico. alvaradocosme@yahoo.com.|Laboratorio de Investigación Biomédica, Facultad de Medicina y Nutrición, Avenida Universidad S/N, 34000, Durango, Dgo, Mexico. alvaradocosme@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Cosme
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0367-6052
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alvarado-Esquivel
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N, 34000, Durango, Dgo, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ana Liliana
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Martínez-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: 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: Juan Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Castillo-Orona
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: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salas-Martínez
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: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sifuentes-Álvarez
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: Ada Agustina
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sandoval-Carrillo
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: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Salas-Pacheco
authors.affiliation: Institute for Microbiology and Hygiene, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité Medical School, Hindenburgdamm 27, D-12203, Berlin, Germany.|Present Address: Medical and Scientific Affairs, Roche Molecular Systems, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, USA.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Liesenfeld
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: Elizabeth Irasema
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Antuna-Salcido
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000469:parasitology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Case-control study; Depression; Pregnant women; Seroprevalence; Toxoplasma gondii