Abstract
Infection by the parasite Toxoplasma, which affects about 33% of world population, is associated with an increased risk of several mental health disorders, the most strongly with schizophrenia. It is unknown whether schizophrenia is associated with this infection the most strongly, or whether this association has just been the most intensively studied for historical reasons. We used the data from 6,367 subjects tested for toxoplasmosis who took part in an internet survey to search for associations of these infections with 24 mental health disorders and evidence of otherwise impaired mental health. The typical symptom associated with toxoplasmosis was anxiety, and the typical toxoplasmosis-associated disorders were autism (OR = 4.78), schizophrenia (OR = 3.33), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (OR = 2.50), obsessive compulsive disorder (OR = 1.86), antisocial personality disorder (OR = 1.63), learning disabilities (OR = 1.59), and anxiety disorder (OR = 1.48). Toxoplasmosis could play a substantial role in the etiopathogenesis of mental health disorders and its association with schizophrenia is the second strongest association, after autism.
Highlights
About one third of the world population is infected with the coccidian parasite Toxoplasma gondii
ANCOVA tests with independent variables of age, urbanization, sex, and toxoplasmosis showed that Toxoplasmaseropositive subjects, especially women, reported worse mental and physical health, and more serious symptoms of depression, anxiety, and obsessions, see Table 1 and Figures 1 and 2
To check whether the effect of toxoplasmosis on mental health was mediated by its effect on physical health, we ran the ANCOVA analyses with the variable physical health problems included among the covariates
Summary
About one third of the world population is infected with the coccidian parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The Toxoplasma-seropositivity has been associated with the increased risk of many mental and physical health disorders [1] and between-country differences in seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis could explain 23% of the total variability in disease burden in European countries [2]. The connection between certain mental health disorders, especially schizophrenia, and toxoplasmosis has been documented beyond any reasonable doubt, for review see [3, 4]. Far fewer studies have shown the association of Toxoplasmosis and Mental Health toxoplasmosis with other mental health disorders. About 10 studies have shown the association of toxoplasmosis with bipolar disorder, and less than five with obsessive compulsive disorder, learning disorder, autism, and anxiety disorder; for reviews see [4, 10]
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