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Toxoplasma gondii & Human Phenotype

Compendium of Known Effects and Ongoing Research

Injury

Latent Toxoplasma infection and higher Toxoplasma gondii immunoglobulin G levels are associated with worse neurocognitive functioning in HIV-infected adults

October 6, 2016 Leave a Comment
Bharti, A. R., McCutchan, A., Deutsch, R., Smith, D. M., Ellis, R. J., Cherner, M., Woods, S. P., Heaton, R. K., Grant, I., Letendre, S. L.
Clinical Infectious Diseases 2016; 63: 1655-1660.
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Background. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated neurocognitive disorders persist despite suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART). Because latent Toxoplasma infection (LTI) may adversely impact brain function, we investigated its impact on neurocognitive impairment (NCI) in people living with HIV disease. Methods. Two hundred sixty-three HIV-infected adults underwent comprehensive neurocognitive assessments and had anti-Toxoplasma gondii immunoglobulin G (anti-Toxo IgG) measured by qualitative and quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results. Participants were mostly middle-aged white men who were taking ART (70%). LTI was detected in 30 (11.4%) participants and was associated with a significantly greater prevalence of global NCI (LTI positive [ LTI+]=57% and LTI negative [ LTI-]=34%) (odds ratio, 1.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-2.40; P=.017). Deficits were more prevalent in the LTI+ vs the LTI -group in 6 of 7 cognitive domains with statistical significance reached for delayed recall (P<.01). The probability of NCI increased with higher CD4(+) T-cell counts among LTI+ individuals but with lower CD4(+) T-cell counts in LTI-persons. A strong correlation (r=.93) between anti-Toxo IgG levels and global deficit score was found in a subgroup of 9 patients. Biomarkers indicative of central nervous system inflammation did not differ between LTI+ and LTI-participants. Conclusions. In this cross-sectional analysis, LTI was associated with NCI, especially in those with higher CD4(+) T-cell counts. Longitudinal studies to investigate the role of neuroinflammation and neuronal injury in LTI patients with NCI and trials of anti-Toxoplasma therapy should be pursued.

Tagged: anti-toxoplasma gondii igg, cohort, combination antiretroviral therapy, encephalitis, hiv-1 infection, individuals, Injury, latent toxoplasma infection, latent toxoplasmosis, mice, neurocognitive impairment, neuropsychological impairment, risk, seroprevalence, united-states

Cognitive functions

Cat scratches, not bites, are associated with unipolar depression – cross-sectional study

September 27, 2016 Leave a Comment
Flegr,J., Hodný, Z.
Parasites & Vectors 2016:8 doi:10.1186/s13071-015-1290-7, 2016
Click for abstract
Background: A recent study performed on 1.3 million patients showed a strong association between being bitten by a cat and probability of being diagnosed with depression. Authors suggested that infection with cat parasite Toxoplasma could be the reason for this association. Method: A cross sectional internet study on a non-clinical population of 5,535 subjects was undertaken. Results: The subjects that reported having been bitten by a dog and a cat or scratched by a cat have higher Beck depression score. They were more likely to have visited psychiatrists, psychotherapists and neurologists in past two years, to have been previously diagnosed with depression (but not with bipolar disorder). Multivariate analysis of models with cat biting, cat scratching, toxoplasmosis, the number of cats at home, and the age of subjects as independent variables showed that only cat scr atching had positive effect on depression ( p = 0.004). Cat biting and toxoplasmosis had no effect on the depression, and the number of cats at home had a negative effect on depression ( p = 0.021). Conclusions: Absence of association between toxoplasmosis and depression and five times stronger association of depression with cat scratching than with cat biting suggests that the pathogen responsible for mood disorders in animals-injured subjects is probably not the protozoon Toxoplasma gondii but another organism; possibly the agent of cat-scratched disease – the bacteria Bartonella henselae .

Tagged: Bartonelosis, Injury, Major depression, Parasite, toxoplasmosis, Unipolar depression

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