Maternal Exposure to Toxoplasmosis and Risk of Schizophrenia in Adult Offspring

• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.162.4.767
• Publication Date: 2005-03-30T20:17:53Z
• Authors: Alan S. Brown; Catherine A. Scha...; Charles P. Quesen...; Liyan Liu; Vicki P. Babulas; Ezra S. Susser
• Keywords: Toxoplasmosis

OBJECTIVE: The authors examined the relationship between maternal antibody to toxoplasmosis and risk of schizophrenia other spectrum disorders in offspring. Toxoplasmosis is known adversely affect fetal brain development. METHOD: In a nested case-control design large birth cohort born 1959 1967, conducted serological assays for Toxoplasma on serum specimens from pregnancies giving rise 63 cases 123 matched comparison subjects. immunoglobulin (Ig)G was quantified by using Sabin-Feldman dye test. Ig titers were classified into three groups: negative (<1:16) (reference), moderate (1:16–1:64), high (≥1:128). RESULTS: adjusted odds ratio schizophrenia/schizophrenia subjects with IgG 2.61 (95% confidence interval=1.00–6.82). There no association schizophrenia/spectrum disorders. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that exposure may be factor schizophrenia. explained reactivated infection or an effect developing fetus. Given preventable infection, findings, if replicated, have implications reducing incidence