Behavior – Page 2 – Toxoplasma gondii & Human Phenotype

Is Toxoplasma gondii infection related to brain and behavior impairments in humans? Evidence from a population-representative birth cohort

May 28, 2016
Sugden, K., Moffitt, T. E., Pinto, L., Poulton, R., Williams, B. S., Caspi, A.
Plos One 2016; 11: ARTN e0148435 10.1371/journal.pone.0148435

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Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among patients with non-schizophrenic neurodevelopmental disorders in Alexandria, Egypt

May 24, 2016
Shehata, A.I., Hassanein, F.I., Abdul-Ghani, R.
Acta Tropica 2016;154: 155-159

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Assessment of toxoplasma seropositivity in children suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

May 11, 2016
Afsharpaiman, S., Khosravi, M.H., Faridchehr, M., Komijani, M., Radfar, S., Amirsalari, S., Torkaman, M., Shirbazoo, S.
Galen Medical Journal 2016; 5: 188-193

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Toxoplasma gondii infection in interstate truck drivers: a case-control seroprevalence study

October 9, 2015
Alvarado-Esquivel, C., Pacheco-Vega, S. J., Hernandez-Tinoco, J., Salcedo-Jaquez, M., Sanchez-Anguiano, L. F., Berumen-Segovia, L. O., Rabago-Sanchez, E., Liesenfeld, O.
Parasites & Vectors 2015; 8

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Background: Infection with Toxoplasma gondii can be acquired via the ingestion of undercooked or raw meat containing tissue cysts, or via ingestion of water contaminated with oocysts. Professional long distance truck driving may have epidemiological importance for food-borne infections since drivers eat out of home and in places where hygiene and cooking practices are uncertain. We aimed to determine whether interstate truck drivers in Durango, Mexico have an increased risk of infection with T. gondii as indicated by seropositivity; and to determine the socio-demographic, work, clinical, and behavioral characteristics associated with T. gondii seropositivity in interstate truck drivers. Methods: Through a case-control study design, 192 truck drivers and 192 controls from the general population of the same region matched by gender and age were examined with enzyme-linked immunoassays for the presence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies. Socio-demographic, work, clinical and behavioral characteristics from the truck drivers were obtained. Results: Anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies were found in 23 (12.0%) of 192 truck drivers and in 13 (6.8%) of 192 controls (OR = 21.0; 95% CI: 1.23-358.38; P = 0.002). Anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies were found in 7 (3.6%) cases and in 7 (3.6%) controls (P = 1.00). The seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was higher in drivers with reflex impairment than in those without this impairment (4/13, 30.8% vs 19/179, 10.6%, respectively; P = 0.05), and in drivers with hearing impairment than in those without this impairment (3/7, 42.9% vs 20/185, 10.8%, respectively; P = 0.03). Multivariate analysis of work and behavioral characteristics of truck drives showed positive associations of T. gondii exposure with trips to the south of Mexico (OR = 3.11; 95% CI: 1.02-9.44; P = 0.04) and consumption of horse meat (OR = 5.18; 95% CI: 1.62-16.55; P = 0.005). Conclusions: Results suggest that interstate truck drivers may have an increased risk for T. gondii infection, and that T. gondii exposure may be impacting neurological functions in truck drivers. Contributing factors for T. gondii exposure should be taken into account for the design of optimal prevention measures against T. gondii infection.

“Latent” infection with Toxoplasma gondii: Association with trait aggression and impulsivity in healthy adults

October 9, 2015
Cook, T. B., Brenner, L. A., Cloninger, C. R., Langenberg, P., Igbide, A., Giegling, I., Hartmann, A. M., Konte, B., Friedl, M., Brundin, L., Groer, M. W., Can, A., Rujescu, D., Postolache, T. T.
Journal of Psychiatric Research 2015; 60: 87-94

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No Association between Toxoplasma gondii infection and financial risk taking in females

September 27, 2015
Lanchava, L., Carlson, K., Flegr, J., Šebánková, B., Nave, G.
PLOS ONE 2015; 10(9): e0136716. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0136716

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Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in psychiatric patients: a case-control study in eastern China

May 25, 2015
Cong, W., Dong, W., Bai, L., Wang, X. Y., Ni, X. T., Qian, A. D., Zhu, X. Q.
Epidemiology and Infection 2015; 143: 3103-3109

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Extraordinary tales parasites hijacking the minds of hosts

May 25, 2015
Bast, F.
Resonance-Journal of Science Education 2015; 20: 893-902

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High seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in female sex workers: a case-control study

May 25, 2015
Alvarado-Esquivel, C., Sanchez-Anguiano, L. F., Hernandez-Tinoco, J., Arreola-Chaidez, E., Lopez, J., Salcido-Meraz, K. I., Estrada-Martinez, S., Navarrete-Flores, J. A., Perez-Alamos, A. R., Hernandez-Ochoa, M., Rabago-Sanchez, E., Liesenfeld, O.
European Journal of Microbiology and Immunology 2015; 5: 285-292

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Toxoplasma gondii exposure in patients suffering from mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use

January 10, 2015
Alvarado-Esquivel, C., Carrillo-Oropeza, D., Pacheco-Vega, S. J., Hernandez-Tinoco, J., Salcedo-Jaquez, M., Sanchez-Anguiano, L. F., Ortiz-Jurado, M. N., Alarcon-Alvarado, Y., Liesenfeld, O., Beristain-Garcia, I.
Bmc Infectious Diseases 2015; 15: Artn 172 10.1186/S12879-015-0912-1

No evidence of association between Toxoplasma gondii infection and financial risk taking in females

January 4, 2015
Lanchava, L., Carlson, K., Sebankova, B., Flegr, J., Nave, G.
Plos One 2015; 10: ARTN e0136716 10.1371/journal.pone.0136716

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New findings: Depression, suicide, and Toxoplasma gondii infection

October 9, 2014
Hsu, P.C., Groer, M., Beckie, T.
Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners 2014; 26: 629-637

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High seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in inmates: A case control study in Durango City, Mexico

October 9, 2014
Alvarado-Esquivel, C., Hernandez-Tinoco, J., Sanchez-Anguiano, L. F., Ramos-Nevarez, A., Cerrillo-Soto, S. M., Saenz-Soto, L., Liesenfeld, O.
Eur. J. Microbiol. Immunol. (Bp) 2014; 4: 76-82.

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Does prevalence of latent toxoplasmosis correlate with nation-wide rate of traffic accidents?

September 27, 2014
Flegr, J., Dama, M.
Folia Parasitologica 2014; 6, 485-494

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Latent toxoplasmosis is probably the most common protistan parasitic disease with many indirect negative impacts on human health. One of the important impacts is impaired psychomotor function leading to reduced driving efficiency in Toxoplasma - seropositive subjects. Numerous case-control studies have established a positive relation between the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908) and probability of traffic accidents in study populations. The prevalence of toxoplasmosis varies between populations according to local geographical conditions, hygienic practices and kitchen habits. Similarly, we see a striking variation in the incidence of traffic accidents across countries. Hence, we compiled the largest ever data set on the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis and tried to understand its role in traffic accident-related deaths and disabilities across 87 countries. Simple non - parametric analysis showed a positive and strong relation of T. gondii seroprevalence and traffic accident related disabilities. Further, we conducted multivariate analysis to control for confounding factors. After controlling for wealth, geographical latitude, health of population, length of roads and number of vehicles, the correlation disappeared. When the frequency of RhD negativity and its in - teraction with toxoplasmosis were included into the model, the effects of toxoplasmosis seemingly returned. However, the analysed data suffered from the problem of multicollinearity. When a proper method of analysis, ridge regression, was applied, the effects of toxoplasmosis prevalence and RhD negativity frequency disappeared again. The existence of a strong correlation between the prevalence of toxoplasmosis and health of population in particular countries, which was the probable cause of multicollinearity and possible reason for the negative result of the present study, suggests that ‘asymptomatic’ latent toxoplasmosis could have a large impact on public health

The possible relationship of Toxoplasma with risk of traffic accidents

September 3, 2014
Khademvatan, S., Forouzan, A., Darian, A. A., Rahim,F., Khoozani, A. S., Masoumi, K.
Health MED 2014; 8: 657-661

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The impact of Toxoplasma gondii on host behaviour: can this parasite play a role in some cases of human schizophrenia?

March 26, 2014
Webster, J. P., Kaushik, M.
Integrative and Comparative Biology 2014; 54: E221-E221

Masterpiece of epigenetic engineering – how Toxoplasma gondii reprogrammes host brains to change fear to sexual attraction

January 9, 2014
Flegr, J., Markos, A.
Molecular Ecology 2014; 23:5934-5936

Is latent infection with Toxoplasma gondii a risk factor for suicidal behavior?

October 11, 2013
Postolache, T.T., Cook, T.B.
Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy 2013; 11: 339-342

Toxoplasma gondii exposure affects neural processing speed as measured by acoustic startle latency in schizophrenia and controls

October 10, 2013
Pearce, B. D., Hubbard, S., Rivera, H. N., Wilkins, P. P., Fisch, M. C., Hopkins, M. H., Hasenkamp, W., Gross, R., Bliwise, N., Jones, J. L., Duncan, E.
Schizophrenia Research 2013; 150: 258-261

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Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in drivers involved in road traffic accidents in the metropolitan area of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

October 10, 2013
Galvan-Ramirez, M. D., Sanchez-Orozco, L. V., Rodriguez, L. R., Rodriguez, S., Roig-Melo, E., Sanroman, R. T., Chiquete, E., Armendariz-Borunda, J.
In: Parasites & Vectors 2013;6:10.1186/1756-3305-6-294

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Background: The prevalence of toxoplasmosis in the general population of Guadalajara, Mexico, is around 32%. Toxoplasmosis can cause ocular lesions and slowing of reaction reflexes. Latent toxoplasmosis has been related with traffic accidents. We aimed to assess the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and visual impairments related with traffic accidents in drivers from the metropolitan Guadalajara. Methods: We prospectively evaluated the prevalence of IgG and IgM anti-T. gondii antibodies in 159 individuals involved in traffic accidents, and in 164 control drivers never involved in accidents. Cases of toxoplasmosis reactivation or acute infection were detected by PCR in a subset of 71 drivers studied for the presence of T. gondii DNA in blood samples. Ophthalmologic examinations were performed in drivers with IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies in search of ocular toxoplasmosis. Results: Fifty-four (34%) traffic accident drivers and 59 (36%) controls were positive to IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies (p = 0.70). Among the 113 seropositive participants, mean anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies titers were higher in traffic accident drivers than in controls (237.9 +/- 308.5 IU/ml vs. 122.9 +/- 112.7 IU/ml, respectively; p = 0.01 by Student's t test, p = 0.037 by Mann-Whitney U test). In multivariate analyses, anti-T. gondii IgG antibody titers were consistently associated with an increased risk of traffic accidents, whereas age showed an inverse association. The presence of IgM-anti-T. gondii antibodies was found in three (1.9%) subjects among traffic accident drives, and in two (1.2%) controls. Three (4.2%) samples were positive for the presence of T. gondii DNA, all among seropositive individuals. No signs of ocular toxoplasmosis were found in the entire cohort. Moreover, no other ocular conditions were found to be associated with the risk of traffic accidents in a multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Anti-T. gondii antibody titers are associated with the risk of traffic accidents. We could not determine any association of ocular toxoplasmosis with traffic accidents. Our results warrant further analyses in order to clarify the link between toxoplasmosis and traffic accidents

Toxoplasma gondii infection and suicide attempts a case-control study in psychiatric outpatients

October 10, 2013
Alvarado-Esquivel, C., Sanchez-Anguiano, L. F., Arnaud-Gil, C. A., Lopez-Longoria, J. C., Molina-Espinoza, L. F., Estrada-Martinez, S. Liesenfeld, O. Hernandez-Tinoco, J. Sifuentes-Alvarez, A. Salas-Martinez, C.
Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 2013; 201: 948-952.

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Toxoplasma gondii infection and behaviour – location, location, location?

March 26, 2013
McConkey, G. A., Martin, H. L., Bristow, G. C., Webster, J. P.
Journal of Experimental Biology 2013; 216: 113-119

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The role of Toxoplasma gondii-produced tyrosine hydroxylase (TgTH) in parasite manipulation of host behaviour

March 26, 2013
Kaushik, M., Webster, J., Bristow, G., McConkey, G
Tropical Medicine & International Health 2013; 18: 104-104

Persistent neurotropic pathogens and personality-derived intermediate phenotypes of suicidal self directed violence. A focus on aggression and self aggression

January 10, 2013
Cook, T. B., Langenberg, P., Igbide, A., Giegling, I., Hartmann, A. M., Konte, B., Friedl, M., Groer, M., Rujescu, D., Postolache, T. T.
Biological Psychiatry 2013; 73:172-172

Toxoplasma gondii infection, from predation to schizophrenia: can animal behaviour help us understand human behaviour?

January 4, 2013
Webster, J. P., Kaushik, M., Bristow, G. C., McConkey, G. A.
Journal of Experimental Biology 2013; 216: 99-112

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High seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in a subset of Mexican patients with work accidents and low socioeconomic status

October 16, 2012
Alvarado-Esquivel, C., Torres-Castorena, A., Liesenfeld, O., Estrada-Martinez, S., Urbina-Alvarez, J. D.
Parasites & Vectors 2012;5: Artn 13 10.1186/1756-3305-5-13

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BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii has been associated with reflex impairment and traffic accidents. It is unknown whether Toxoplasma infection might be associated with work accidents. Therefore, using a case-control seroprevalence study design, 133 patients with a recent work accident and 266 control subjects of the general population from the same region were examined with enzyme-linked immunoassays for the presence and levels of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies and anti-Toxoplasma IgM antibodies. Socio-demographic, work, clinical and behavioral characteristics from each worker were obtained. RESULTS: Eleven (8.3%) of 133 patients, and 14 (5.3%) of 266 controls had anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies. Anti-T. gondii IgG levels were higher than 150 IU/ml in 8 (6%) patients and 10 (3.8%) controls. Anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies were found in one (0.8%) of the workers, and in 6 (2.3%) of the controls. No statistically significant differences in the IgG seroprevalences, frequencies of high IgG levels, and IgM seroprevalences among patients and controls were found. In contrast, a low socio-economic level in patients with work accidents was associated with Toxoplasma seropositivity (P = 0.01). Patients with work accidents and low socioeconomic status showed a significantly (OR = 3.38; 95% CI: 0.84-16.06; P = 0.04) higher seroprevalence of T. gondii infection than controls of the same socioeconomic status (15.1% vs. 5%, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed a positive association of T. gondii infection with boar meat consumption (OR = 3.04; 95% CI: 1.03-8.94; P = 0.04). In contrast, a negative association between T. gondii infection and national trips (OR = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.17-0.96; P = 0.04), sausage consumption (OR = 0.20; 95% CI: 0.05-0.68; P = 0.01), and ham consumption (OR = 0.16; 95% CI: 0.05-0.51; P = 0.002) was found. CONCLUSIONS: In the study described here seropositivity to T. gondii was associated to work accidents in a subset of patients with low socioeconomic status. This is the first report of an association of T. gondii infection and work accidents. Further studies to confirm our results are needed. Results may help in designing optimal prevention strategies to avoid T. gondii infection.

Toxoplasma gondii and elevated suicide risk

October 16, 2012
Godwin R.
Veterinary Record 2012; 171: 225-225

Toxoplasma gondii and homicide

October 12, 2012
Lester, D.
Psychological Reports 2012; 111: 196-197

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Toxoplasma gondii infection and self-directed violence in mothers

October 12, 2012
Pedersen, M. G., Mortensen, P. B., Norgaard-Pedersen, B., Postolache, T. T.
Archives of General Psychiatry 2012; 69: 1123-1130

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Elevated suicide risks, cats and toxoplasmosis

October 11, 2012
Sparkes, A.
Veterinary Record 2012; 171: 303-304

Toxoplasma gondii immunoglobulin G antibodies and nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence

October 11, 2012
Zhang, Y. F., Traskman-Bendz, L., Janelidze, S., Langenberg, P., Saleh, A., Constantine, N., Okusaga, O., Bay-Richter, C., Brundin, L., Postolache, T. T.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2012; 73: 1069-1076

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Objective: The primary aim was to relate Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and serointensity to scores on the self-rated Suicide Assessment Scale (SUAS-S). Another aim was to reevaluate the previously reported positive association between T gondii serointensity and a history of nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence. Method: This cross-sectional, observational study compared T gondii serointensity and seropositivity in plasma from 54 adult suicide attempters (inpatients at Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden) and 30 adult control subjects (randomly selected from the municipal population register in Lund, Sweden) recruited between 2006 and 2010.The potential of patients and controls for self-directed violence was evaluated with the SUAS-S. Psychiatric diagnoses were made according to DSM-IV criteria. Plasma samples were tested for immunoglobulin G antibodies to T gondii, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex virus type 1. Data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression to investigate the association between T gondii serointensity or seropositivity and a history of nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence; multivariable linear regression was used to explore the relationship between T gondii serointensify or seropositivity and the SUAS-S. Both regression models included sex, age, and body mass index as covariates. Results: Seropositivity of T gondii (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=7.12; 95% CI, 1.66-30.6; P=.008) and serointensity of T gondii (adjusted OR=2.01; 95% CI, 1.09-3.71; P=.03) were positively associated with a history of nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence. Seropositivity of T gondii was associated with higher SUAS-S scores, a relationship significant for the whole sample (P=.026), but not for suicide attempters only. No significant associations with other pathogens were identified. Conclusions: These results are consistent with previous reports on the association between T gondii infection and nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence. Confirming these results in future large longitudinal studies and including suicide as an outcome may lead to novel individualized approaches in suicide prevention. J Clin Psychiatry 2012;73 (8):1069-1076 (c) Copyright 2012 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Toxoplasma gondii associated behavioural changes in mice, rats and humans: Evidence from current research

January 10, 2012
Bech-Nielsen, S.
Preventive Veterinary Medicine 2012; 103: 78-79

Latent toxoplasmosis and human

January 10, 2012
Dalimi, A., Abdoli, A.
Iranian Journal of Parasitology 2012; 7: 1-17

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Rhesus factor modulation of effects of smoking and age on psychomotor performance, intelligence, personality profile, and health in Czech soldiers

January 9, 2012
Flegr, J., Geryk, J., Volny, J., Klose, J., Cernochova, D.
Plos One 2012; 7: ARTN e49478 10.1371/journal.pone.0049478

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Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and suicide rates in women

October 19, 2011
Ling, V. J., Lester, D., Mortensen, P. B., Langenberg, P. W., Postolache, T. T.
Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 2011; 199: 440-444

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Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and completed suicide in 20 European countries

October 19, 2011
Ling, V. J., Lester, D., Mortensen, P. B., Postolache, T. T.
Biological Psychiatry 2011; 69: 500

Toxoplasma gondii antibody titers and history of suicide attempts in patients with schizophrenia

October 16, 2011
Okusaga, O,. Langenberg, P., Sleemi, A., Vaswani, D., Giegling, I., Hartmann, A. M., Konte, B., Friedl, M., Groer, M. W., Yolken, R. H., Rujescu, D., Postolache, T. T.
Schizophrenia Research 2011; 133: 150-155

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Fatal attraction phenomenon in humans – cat odour attractiveness increased for toxoplasma-infected men while decreased for infected women

September 26, 2011
Flegr, J., Lenochová, P., Hodný, Z., Vondrová, M.
Neglected Tropical Diseases, 5:e1389, 2011

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Background: Latent toxoplasmosis, a lifelong infection with the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii , has cumulative effects on the behaviour of hosts, including humans. The most impressive effect of toxoplasmosis is the ‘‘fatal attraction phenomenon,’’ the conversion of innate fear of cat odour into attraction to cat odour in infected rodents. While most behavioural effects of toxoplasmosis were confirmed also in humans, neither the fatal attraction phenomenon nor any toxoplasmosis-associated changes in olfactory functions have been searched for in them. Principal Findings: Thirty-four Toxoplasma -infected and 134 noninfected students rated the odour of urine samples from cat, horse, tiger, brown hyena and dog for intensity and pleasantness. The raters were blind to their infection status and identity of the samples. No signs of changed sensitivity of olfaction were observed. However, we found a strong, gender dependent effect of toxoplasmosis on the pleasantness attributed to cat urine odour (p = 0.0025). Infected men rated this odour as more pleasant than did the noninfected men, while infected women rated the same odour as less pleasant than did noninfected women. Toxoplasmosis did not affect how subjects rated the pleasantness of any other animal species’ urine odour; however, a non-significant trend in the same directions was observed for hyena urine. Conclusions: The absence of the effects of toxoplasmosis on the odour pleasantness score attributed to large cats would suggest that the amino acid felinine could be responsible for the fatal attraction phenomenon. Our results also raise the possibility that the odour-specific threshold deficits observed in schizophrenia patients could be caused by increased prevalence of Toxoplasma -infected subjects in this population rather than by schizophrenia itself. The trend observed with the hyena urine sample suggests that this carnivore, and other representatives of the Feliformia suborder, should be studied for their possible role as definitive hosts in the life cycle of Toxoplasma .

Parasite manipulation of host behavior: An update and frequently asked questions

October 29, 2010
Poulin, R.
Advances in the Study of Behavior 2010; 41: 151-186

The diagnosis of a personality disorder increases the likelihood for seropositivity to Toxoplasma gondii in psychiatric patients

October 19, 2010
Hinze-Selch, D., Daubener, W., Erdag, S., Wilms, S.
Folia Parasitol (Praha) 2010; 57: 129-135

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