Prevalence of the Parasite Toxoplasma Gondii in Autistic Children in Iraq

Abstract

Background: Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease that can infect almost any mammalian species, if not all where one-third of the population might be infected with latent toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is more common in underdeveloped countries than developed countries where it infects a large number of people worldwide. The Toxoplasma gondii should be considered as a contributing factor in mentally ill people who have been exposed to the parasite. Toxoplasmosis primarily affects the central nervous system, putting some people at risk, more than others. The Toxoplasma gondii infection has also been linked with psychiatric illnesses; however, research on the causal pathway is limited and therefore not clearly developed. The objectives: of this humble research has been to discuss the link between Toxoplasmosis and childhood autism as a type of mental disorders. Materials and Methods: Thirty autistic children were selected from the Children’s hospital of Kerkuk city compared to fifteen healthy children used as control for comparison. Results: Using rapid-test (IgG, IgM) of Toxoplasma gondii the prevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG in autistic children were 13.3% which was significantly (p≤0.01) higher than that in healthy children (6.67%). Conclusion: It is recommended that mothers should avoid contamination of their young babies from any source of the parasites natural or artificial feeding, which might be the main pathway of infection.