Published in:
Open Access 01-12-2004 | Research article
Toxoplasma and coxiella infection and psychiatric morbidity: A retrospective cohort analysis
Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2004
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Background
It has been suggested that infection with Toxoplasma gondii is associated with slow reaction and poor concentration, whilst infection with Coxiella burnetii may lead to persistent symptoms of fatigue.
Methods
425 farmers completed the Revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R) by computer between March and July 1999 to assess psychiatric morbidity. Samples of venous blood had been previously collected and seroprevalence of T. gondii and C. burnetii was assessed.
Results
45% of the cohort were seropositive for T. gondii and 31% were positive for C. burnetii. Infection with either agent was not associated with symptoms reflecting clinically relevant levels of concentration difficulties, fatigue, depression, depressive ideas or overall psychiatric morbidity.
Conclusions
We do not provide any evidence that infection with Toxoplasma gondii or Coxiella burnetii is associated with neuropsychiatric morbidity, in particular with symptoms of poor concentration or fatigue. However, this is a relatively healthy cohort with few individuals reporting neuropsychiatric morbidity and therefore the statistical power to test the study hypotheses is limited.