Latent Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Psychiatric Disorders With Emphasis on Schizophrenia: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study in Tripoli, Libya

Background: Internationally, latent Toxoplasma gondii infection has been associated with the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders, especially schizophrenia; however, data from Libya are extremely limited.Objective: This study sought to examine the association between latent T. gondii infection and psychiatric disorders in patients at Al-Razi Hospital in Tripoli, Libya.Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed involving 74 patients diagnosed with psychiatric disorders.Demographic and clinical data were gathered, encompassing a history of feline exposure and chronic illness.Serological testing for T. gondii IgG antibodies was performed, and chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the association between T. gondii seropositivity and psychiatric diagnostic categories.Results: The average age of the participants was 39.46 ± 10.94 years, and 71 (95.9%) of them were men.Schizophrenia (58, 78.4%), other psychosis (11, 14.9%), bipolar disorder (4, 5.4%), and depression (1, 1.4%) were the most common mental illnesses.In total, 25 (33.8%) of the patients tested positive for T. gondii IgG antibodies.There were no significant links between seropositivity and age, gender, chronic illness, or contact with cats.Multinomial logistic regression demonstrated a significant association between T. gondii IgG seropositivity and schizophrenia (p < 0.001); however, this finding should be interpreted cautiously due to sparse data and instability of regression estimates.Conclusion: Latent T. gondii infection is significantly associated with schizophrenia in psychiatric patients in Libya.These results emphasize the possible involvement of T. gondii in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and stress the necessity for additional extensive, longitudinal studies to elucidate underlying mechanisms and investigate potential preventive or therapeutic strategies.