Association between Suicide and <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Seropositivity
This study aimed to determine the association between suicide and <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> (<i>T. gondii</i>) seropositivity. Serum samples of 89 decedents who committed suicide (cases) and 58 decedents who did not commit suicide (controls) were tested for anti-<i>T. go...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/9/1094 |
| Summary: | This study aimed to determine the association between suicide and <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> (<i>T. gondii</i>) seropositivity. Serum samples of 89 decedents who committed suicide (cases) and 58 decedents who did not commit suicide (controls) were tested for anti-<i>T. gondii</i> IgG and IgM antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Anti-<i>T. gondii</i> IgM antibodies were further detected by enzyme-linked fluorescence assay (ELFA). A total of 8 (9.0%) of the 89 cases and 6 (10.3%) of the 58 controls were positive for anti-<i>T. gondii</i> IgG antibodies (OR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.28–2.60; <i>p</i> = 0.78). Anti-<i>T. gondii</i> IgG levels were higher than 150 IU/mL in two (2.2%) cases and in five (8.6%) controls (OR: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.04–1.30; <i>p</i> = 0.11). Anti-<i>T. gondii</i> IgM antibodies were not found in any case or control using the enzyme immunoassay and were found in only one (1.7%) control using ELFA (<i>p</i> = 0.39). Rates of IgG seropositivity and high levels of anti-<i>T. gondii</i> antibodies were similar in cases and in controls regardless of their sex or age groups. The results do not support an association between <i>T. gondii</i> seropositivity and suicide. However, the statistical power of the test was low. Further research is necessary to confirm this lack of association. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-0817 |