Journal of parasitology research
Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Psychiatric Inpatients and Healthy Controls in North Iran: A Case-Control Study
By Zakerzadeh Khoshroudi H, Shahini N, Mohammadi R and 4 others.
Abstract
Objective
Gorgan, in northern Iran, is a humid region where Toxoplasma gondii is common. The association with psychiatric illness has never been examined there. We measured seroprevalence in psychiatric inpatients and matched controls, quantified it for each major DSM-5 diagnostic category, and identified local risk factors for infection.
Method
A case-control study was conducted with 100 psychiatric inpatients and 100 healthy controls, frequency-matched 1:1 on sex and 5-year age stratum. Diagnoses were recorded as free text at discharge by the attending psychiatrists under DSM-5 criteria and were mapped to six categories using rules fixed in advance. Sera were tested for anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM by ELISA. Associations were estimated by logistic regression, with secondary analyses comparing each diagnostic category with the controls.