TY - JOUR
T1 - Large-scale study of Toxoplasma and Cytomegalovirus shows an association between infection and serious psychiatric disorders
AU - Burgdorf, Kristoffer Sølvsten
AU - Trabjerg, Betina B
AU - Pedersen, Marianne Giørtz
AU - Nissen, Janna
AU - Banasik, Karina
AU - Pedersen, Ole Birger
AU - Sørensen, Erik
AU - Nielsen, Kaspar René
AU - Larsen, Margit Hørup
AU - Erikstrup, Christian
AU - Bruun-Rasmussen, Peter
AU - Westergaard, David
AU - Thørner, Lise Wegner
AU - Hjalgrim, Henrik
AU - Paarup, Helene Martina
AU - Brunak, Søren
AU - Pedersen, Carsten B
AU - Torrey, E Fuller
AU - Werge, Thomas
AU - Mortensen, Preben Bo
AU - Yolken, Robert H
AU - Ullum, Henrik
N1 - Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2019/7
Y1 - 2019/7
N2 - BACKGROUND: Common infectious pathogens have been associated with psychiatric disorders, self-violence and risk-taking behavior.METHODS: This case-control study reviews register data on 81,912 individuals from the Danish Blood Donor Study to identify individuals who have a psychiatric diagnosis (N = 2591), have attempted or committed suicide (N = 655), or have had traffic accidents (N = 2724). For all cases, controls were frequency matched by age and sex, resulting in 11,546 participants. Plasma samples were analyzed for immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii and cytomegalovirus (CMV).RESULTS: T. gondii was detected in 25·9% of the population and was associated with schizophrenia (odds ratio [OR], 1·47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1·03-2·09). Accounting for temporality, with pathogen exposure preceding outcome, the association was even stronger (IRR, 2·78; 95% CI, 1·27-6·09). A very weak association between traffic accident and toxoplasmosis (OR, 1·11; 95% CI, 1·00-1·23, p = 0.054) was found. CMV was detected in 60·8% of the studied population and was associated with any psychiatric disorder (OR, 1·17; 95% CI, 1·06-1·29), but also with a smaller group of neurotic, stress-related, and somatoform disorders (OR, 1·27; 95% CI, 1·12-1·44), and with attempting or committing suicide (OR, 1·31; 95% CI, 1·10-1·56). Accounting for temporality, any psychiatric disorder (IRR, 1·37; 95% CI, 1·08-1·74) and mood disorders (IRR, 1·43; 95% CI, 1·01-2·04) were associated with exposure to CMV. No association between traffic accident and CMV (OR, 1·06; 95% CI, 0·97-1·17) was found.CONCLUSIONS: This large-scale serological study is the first study to examine temporality of pathogen exposure and to provide evidence of a causal relationship between T. gondii and schizophrenia, and between CMV and any psychiatric disorder.
AB - BACKGROUND: Common infectious pathogens have been associated with psychiatric disorders, self-violence and risk-taking behavior.METHODS: This case-control study reviews register data on 81,912 individuals from the Danish Blood Donor Study to identify individuals who have a psychiatric diagnosis (N = 2591), have attempted or committed suicide (N = 655), or have had traffic accidents (N = 2724). For all cases, controls were frequency matched by age and sex, resulting in 11,546 participants. Plasma samples were analyzed for immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii and cytomegalovirus (CMV).RESULTS: T. gondii was detected in 25·9% of the population and was associated with schizophrenia (odds ratio [OR], 1·47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1·03-2·09). Accounting for temporality, with pathogen exposure preceding outcome, the association was even stronger (IRR, 2·78; 95% CI, 1·27-6·09). A very weak association between traffic accident and toxoplasmosis (OR, 1·11; 95% CI, 1·00-1·23, p = 0.054) was found. CMV was detected in 60·8% of the studied population and was associated with any psychiatric disorder (OR, 1·17; 95% CI, 1·06-1·29), but also with a smaller group of neurotic, stress-related, and somatoform disorders (OR, 1·27; 95% CI, 1·12-1·44), and with attempting or committing suicide (OR, 1·31; 95% CI, 1·10-1·56). Accounting for temporality, any psychiatric disorder (IRR, 1·37; 95% CI, 1·08-1·74) and mood disorders (IRR, 1·43; 95% CI, 1·01-2·04) were associated with exposure to CMV. No association between traffic accident and CMV (OR, 1·06; 95% CI, 0·97-1·17) was found.CONCLUSIONS: This large-scale serological study is the first study to examine temporality of pathogen exposure and to provide evidence of a causal relationship between T. gondii and schizophrenia, and between CMV and any psychiatric disorder.
KW - Antibodies
KW - Cytomegalovirus
KW - Infection
KW - Parasite, psychiatric disorders
KW - Serology
KW - Suicide
KW - Toxoplasma gondii
KW - Toxoplasmosis
KW - Traffic accidents
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85061158198&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.01.026
DO - 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.01.026
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 30685531
SN - 0889-1591
VL - 79
SP - 152
EP - 158
JO - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
JF - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
ER -