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Affiliation
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Department of Food Hygiene and Public Heath, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association of schizophrenia and T. gondii, and to assess the association of infection with suicide attempts and age of onset of schizophrenia in these patients.
METHODS: Case-control study Fars Province, southern Iran. Cases were individuals with psychiatric diagnosis of schizophrenia as per Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria. Controls were healthy blood donors, frequency matched with patients according to age and sex. For detection of IgG antibodies, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used. Data about demographic information in all subjects and duration of illness and history of suicide attempts in schizophrenia patients were collected using a brief questionnaire and hospital records. Chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression were used for statistical analyses.
RESULTS: Among 99 cases, 42 individuals (42%) were positive for T. gondii antibody, versus 41 (27%) among 152 controls (OR=2, 95%CI: 1.2-3.4, P=0.012). We compared the suicide attempts in schizophrenia patients based on their T. gondii serologic status. There was lower rate of suicide attempts in seropositive male patients than seronegative ones (OR=0.3, 95%CI: 0.1-0.97, P=0.04). Age of onset of schizophrenia did not differ between T. gondii infected and non-infected patients.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings may have implications for schizophrenia and suicide prevention programs. However, clearly further studies are required to confirm them. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Language: en |