ANTI-TOXOPLASMA GONDII ANTIBODIES IN EGYPTIAN PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

For nearly 100 years, infectious microbes dominated discourse on the causes of schizophrenia, Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite and is found in 2 forms in humans. Toxoplasma gondii has been associated with several congenital CNS anomalies and more subtle delayed neurologic sequelae, The evidence of infection as a cause of schizophrenia was supported by the brain histopathological changes found in patients with schizophrenia, the risk of schizophrenia increased among individuals who were exposed in utero to elevated maternal T. gondii immunoglobin G (IgG) antibody, based on assay of archived maternal sera, was more than twice that of comparison subject, The main aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of T. gondii infection between individuals with schizophrenia and healthy controls in Egyptian choret samples. 100 patients with schizophrenia, and 100 healthy donors where screened for Toxoplasma gondii IgG and IgM antibodies in serum by ELISA. A significant increase in the incidence of Toxoplasma gondii IgG positive antibody in patient group compared to control group (P 0.004)