Toxoplasma gondii infection in patients with schizophrenia

Hawre M. Bakre; Saeed K. Hussain; Sirwan K. Ali

doi:10.15218/zjms.2015.0006

Authors

Hawre M. Bakre Department of microbiology, college of medicine, Hawler medical university, Erbil, Iraq.
Saeed K. Hussain Department of microbiology, college of medicine, Hawler medical university, Erbil, Iraq.
Sirwan K. Ali Department of psychiatry, college of medicine, Hawler medical university, Erbil, Iraq.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15218/zjms.2015.0006

Keywords:

Toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii, Schizophrenia, C-reactive protein

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Schizophrenia is a complex chronic neuropsychiatric disease of the central nervous system, believed to have multiple etiologies. Toxoplasma gondii has emerged as an interesting candidate as a possible cause of some cases of schizophrenia. As there is scarce information about the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in psychiatric patients in Erbil; we investigated the seroprevalence of T.gondii in schizophrenic patients and compared with that obtained from control individuals in Erbil correlated with inflammatory marker C-reactive protein. Method: This case control study included 93 schizophrenic patients seeking medical advice at Hawler Psychiatric Hospital and private clinics with 93 non psychiatric control were screened for the presence of anti-toxoplasma IgG, IgM (by ELISA test) and C-reactive protein using qualitative methods. A questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and behavioral data among the respondents. Results: In chronic cases anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies were seropositive in 30/93 (32.3%) of the schizophrenic patients and 4/93(4.3%) of control (P <0.001). The seropositive rate of IgM antibodies was 9.7% and 1.1% among schizophrenic patients and control, respectively (P = 0.006). The result of C-reactive protein positivity among patients and control was 23.6% and 3.22%, respectively (P <0.001). Conclusion: Our results delineate that association might exist between Toxoplasma gondii infection and schizophrenia etiology

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