young adult – Toxoplasma gondii & Human Phenotype

Sero-prevalence of anti- Toxoplasma gondii antibodies among patients with neuropsychiatric disorders: Epilepsy and depression

October 30, 2016
Abd El-Aal, N. F., Saber, M., Fawzy, N., Ashour, W. R.
Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology 2016; 46: 729-736

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Hepatitis C virus antibody titers associated with cognitive dysfunction in an asymptomatic community-based sample

May 24, 2016
Ibrahim, I., Salah, H., El Sayed, H., Mansour, H., Eissa, A., Wood, J., Fathi, W., Tobar, S., Gur, R. C., Gur, R. E., Dickerson, F., Yolken, R. H., El Bahaey, W., Nimgaonkar, V.
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology 2016; 38; : 861-868, 10.1080/13803395.2016.1168780

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Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii parasite infection among people who died due to sudden death in the capital city of Warsaw and its vicinity

September 4, 2013
Samojlowicz, D., Borowska-Solonynko, A., Golab, E.
Przegled Epidemiologicny 2013; 67: 29-33

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BACKGROUND: It has recently been shown that the behavioural effects resulting from latent T. gondii infection in immunocompetent people could pose as a threat to their welfare. AIM. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of T. gondii infection in a group of people who died suddenly in Warsaw and its vicinity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The studied group (n = 169 people) included 42 road traffic accident victims who were driving a vehicle (bicycle (n = 6), a motorbike (n = 3), a motorcycle (n = 13), a car (n = 20)) prior to sudden death and 41 people whose death resulted from suicide. Blood samples were collected post-mortem and examined for the presence of T. gondii, IgG antibodies and ethyl alcohol. RESULTS: Of the 169 people tested, T. gondii IgG antibodies were found in the serum of 93 (55%) of which 25 (59.5%) were drivers and 26 (63.4%) people who died as a result of suicide. With respect to the prevalence of T. gondii infection no statistically significant differences were found between the study (61.4%) and control group (49.4%); (p = 0.09). A statistically significant result was recorded in the 38-58 age group between suicide and control groups (71.4% vs. 44.4%; p < 0.05). Positive test results for the presence of ethyl alcohol in the blood were reported among 49.7% of the studied population: 25.7% among drivers, 67.6% among suicides and 51.8% in the control group. To a statisctically siginificant degree, IgG T. gondii antibodies were found to occur more frequently in people with positive blood alcohol test results among suicides (72% vs. 50%; p < 0.05) and among the control group (60% vs. 40%; p < 0.05) than in their equivalents with negative test results. CONCLUSIONS: Our work confirmed the usefulness of serologically testing samples collected post-mortem for epidemiological purposes. The small size of the study group made it impossible to evaluate the potential associations between exposure to T. gondii infection and the probability of sudden death. The significance of Toxoplasma gondii infection as a risk factor for self-destructive behaviour merits further study.

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.

Does Toxoplasma gondii infection affect cognitive function? A case control study

October 16, 2012
Guenter, W., Bielinski, M., Deptula, A., Zalas-Wiecek, P., Piskunowicz, M., Szwed, K., Bucinski, A., Gospodarek, E., Borkowska, A.
Folia Parasitologica 2012; 59: 93-98.

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Serum antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and Herpesvidae family viruses in individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: a case-control study

October 16, 2011
Tedla, Y., Shibre, T., Ali, O., Tadele, G., Woldeamanuel, Y., Asrat, D., Aseffa, A., Mihret, W., Abebe, M., Alem, A., Medhin, G., Habte, A.
Ethiopian Medical Journal 2011; 49: 211-220

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