Seropositivity of Toxoplasma gondii latent infection in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To detect Toxoplasma latent infection seropositivity as an­ti-toxoplasma antibodies and its serointensity as anti-toxoplasma gondii IgG (ATG-IgG) levels in target groups with neuropsychiatry diseases. METHODOLOGY: This prospective cross sectional study was conducted from September 2013 to August 2014. Target subjects were taken from Kohat and Karak districts. Cases were in grouped in A & B per selection criteria with healthy control. Group A included children with mental retardation & group B included adult patients using neuropsychiatric drugs. Latex agglutination and ELISA tests were run on blood samples for ATG-IgG. RESULTS: Group A included 69 patients and 36 controls with mean age of 8.61±2.09 & 8.42±1.71 years respectively. ATG-IgG were positive in 17/69(24.6%) cases and 5/36(13.9%) controls (p>0.05). Mean value of ELISA (IU/ml) for ATG-IgG was 43.56±12.87 for positive cases and 11.84±8.45 for negative. There was gradual increase in mean value of ELISA for mild, moderate, severe as 17.11, 21.08 and 32.94 respectively. Group B included 73 patients and 40 controls with mean age of 31.88±11.35 & 31.82± 9.95 years respectively. ATG-IgG were positive in 41/73(56.2%) cases and 7/40 (17.5%) controls (p<0.01). Among cases, 41 while, among controls 7 were positives for ATG-IgG. The mean value of ELISA (IU/ml) was 102.80±89.52 and for negative cases 11.362±7.11. The mean value of ELISA for degree of disease presentation as mild moderate and severe was 37.72, 64.65, and 88.31 respectively. CONCLUSION: Significant number of patients with psychiatric disorders expressed seropositivity for anti T. plasma antibodies. Antibodies levels increase with severity of psychosis. KEY WORDS: Latent infection, Toxoplasma gondii, Neuropsychiatric disorders.