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Brief report| Volume 61, ISSUE 10, P1215-1217, May 15, 2007

Antibodies to Infectious Agents in Individuals at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis

  • G. Paul Amminger
    Correspondence
    Address reprint requests to Dr. G. Paul Amminger, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
    Affiliations
    ORYGEN Research Centre (incorporating the Personal Assistance and Crises Evaluation [PACE] Clinic), Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia

    Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
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  • Patrick D. McGorry
    Affiliations
    ORYGEN Research Centre (incorporating the Personal Assistance and Crises Evaluation [PACE] Clinic), Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia
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  • Gregor E. Berger
    Affiliations
    ORYGEN Research Centre (incorporating the Personal Assistance and Crises Evaluation [PACE] Clinic), Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia
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  • Darryl Wade
    Affiliations
    ORYGEN Research Centre (incorporating the Personal Assistance and Crises Evaluation [PACE] Clinic), Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia
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  • Alison R. Yung
    Affiliations
    ORYGEN Research Centre (incorporating the Personal Assistance and Crises Evaluation [PACE] Clinic), Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia
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  • Lisa J. Phillips
    Affiliations
    ORYGEN Research Centre (incorporating the Personal Assistance and Crises Evaluation [PACE] Clinic), Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia
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  • Susy M. Harrigan
    Affiliations
    ORYGEN Research Centre (incorporating the Personal Assistance and Crises Evaluation [PACE] Clinic), Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia
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  • Shona M. Francey
    Affiliations
    ORYGEN Research Centre (incorporating the Personal Assistance and Crises Evaluation [PACE] Clinic), Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia
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  • Robert H. Yolken
    Affiliations
    John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Baltimore, Maryland.
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Published:January 04, 2007DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.09.034
Antibodies to Infectious Agents in Individuals at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis
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      Background

      While there is evidence that some cases of schizophrenia may be associated with microbial infections, the role of microbial agents has not been investigated in people with emerging psychosis.

      Methods

      Participants were 105 help seeking ultra-high risk individuals. Psychiatric measures included the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms. Serum IgG antibodies against human herpesviruses and Toxoplasma gondii were determined using immunoassay methods. Multiple linear regression with adjustment for age and sex was applied to test associations between serum antibodies and psychiatric measures.

      Results

      Higher levels of serum IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in Toxoplasma-positive individuals were significantly associated with more severe positive psychotic symptoms. No significant association was observed between antibody levels and psychiatric measures in individuals positive for human herpesviruses.

      Conclusions

      In some individuals infection with Toxoplasma gondii may be an environmental factor contributing to the manifestation of positive psychotic symptoms.

      Key Words

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      Article info

      Publication history

      Published online: January 04, 2007
      Accepted: September 29, 2006
      Received in revised form: September 26, 2006
      Received: November 12, 2005

      Identification

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.09.034

      Copyright

      © 2007 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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