Nagwa Mostafa El Sayed, Khadiga Ahmed Ismail.
Relationship between toxocara canis infection and schizophrenia.
Rawal Med J Jan ;37(2):155-60.

Objective: To investigate the seropositivity rate for anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies in patients with schizophrenia and to assess its association with schizophrenia along with some risk factors for toxocariasis, eosinophilia and the presence of other intestinal parasites. Methods: Serological examination of 90 schizophrenic patients and 45 healthy controls was carried out by using commercial Toxocara canis IgG ELISA kit for the detection of anti-Toxocara antibodies. Also, eosinophils in peripheral blood and the presence of other intestinal parasites were investigated. Results: Seropositivity for T. canis was detected in 21 (23.3%) out of 90 schizophrenic patients and in one subject (2.2%) of 45 healthy controls (p<0.01). When seropositive and seronegative schizophrenic patients were compared with respect to sex, residence, owning dogs /cats, history of geophagia, there was no significant differences between them (p>0.05). In contrast, when they were compared with respect to raw food intake and personal hygiene, the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). Eosinophilia in peripheral blood was detected in 61.9% of seropositive schizophrenic patients and in 24.6% of seronegative schizophrenic patients (p<0.01). Of 21 schizophrenic patients with positive serology, 47.6% had at least one intestinal parasite comparing to 20.3% in patients with negative serology (p< 0.05). Conclusion: There might be a causal relationship between toxocariasis and schizophrenia. Either Toxocara may be a possible etiologic agent of schizophrenia or the schizophrenic patients may be at high risk for Toxocara infection. (Rawal Med J 2012;37:155-160).

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