US Study: 25 of 74 Schizophrenia Patients in Libya Carry Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii
LIBYA – A scientific study published in the US medical journal Cureus has linked infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii to schizophrenia in Libya.
The study, which Al-Marsad followed and of which it translated the main scientific findings, pointed to a connection between the parasitic infection and the mental illness. It said the research was conducted at Al-Razi Hospital in the capital, Tripoli, and showed a statistical association between Toxoplasma gondii infection and schizophrenia patients receiving treatment in psychiatric facilities.
25 Positive Cases Among 74 Patients
Seventy-four patients took part in the study, including three women. Tests showed that 25 of those with schizophrenia carried antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii, which the study treated as an indicator of previous exposure to the infection and of its persistence in latent form.
Although the study pointed to a notable association between Toxoplasma gondii and schizophrenia, the researchers stressed that it does not prove the parasite causes schizophrenia, given its cross-sectional design and the small sample size, particularly in some diagnostic groups.
A Parasite That May Infect About One-Third of the World’s Population
The study also set out a detailed account of Toxoplasma gondii, describing it as one of the most widespread parasites worldwide. Estimates suggest that about one-third of the global population may carry a latent infection.
It said the parasite completes its life cycle primarily in felids, while humans and other warm-blooded animals can serve as intermediate hosts.
Food, Water, Soil and Undercooked Meat Among Transmission Routes
According to the study, infection can be transmitted by consuming food or water, or through contact with soil contaminated by cat faeces, as well as by eating undercooked meat containing parasite cysts.
It said primary infection in most people with a healthy immune system does not cause serious symptoms and may go unnoticed.
It added, however, that Toxoplasma gondii can remain latent for long periods in body tissues, including those of the nervous system.
Particular Importance for the Immunocompromised and Pregnant Women
The study noted that the infection is of particular importance for people with weakened immunity and for pregnant women, because of the risk of neurological complications or transmission to the foetus.
It added that scientists are also focusing on the possible effect of latent infection on brain function.
Latent Cysts Inside Neurons and Glial Cells
The study said immune control of acute infection does not prevent the parasite from forming latent tissue cysts inside neurons and glial cells in the central nervous system.
Researchers believe the chronic presence of Toxoplasma gondii may shed light on pathological findings linked to possible effects on the nervous system.
Neuroinflammation and Changes in Chemical Messengers
Those potential effects, the study said, include an association between the parasite’s presence and low-grade neuroinflammation, as well as changes in some of the chemicals and systems responsible for communication between nerve cells.
Among the mechanisms under investigation is the parasite’s possible effect on dopamine, a neurotransmitter closely linked to mechanisms of schizophrenia.
Glutamate, NMDA and GABA Among Mechanisms Under Study
The study added that experimental research points to a possible effect of infection on the glutamate system, NMDA receptors and GABA function — neural systems linked to cognition, perception and mental functions.
It stressed that these mechanisms remain under investigation, but they offer a possible biological basis for the idea of a link between latent infection and some psychiatric disorders.
No Significant Link to Age, Sex or Cat Contact
The study found no statistically significant association with age, sex, chronic disease or a history of contact with cats.
According to the researchers, the possible link between the parasitic infection and mental illness may stem from a combination of biological factors, including the effect of chronic infection on the immune system, neuroinflammation and neurotransmitter pathways — particularly dopamine.
Preliminary Data from Libya on a Still-Debated Link
The study said its importance lies in providing preliminary data from Libya on a subject for which information remains very limited in North Africa.
It noted that earlier research had confirmed the presence of Toxoplasma gondii among different population groups in Libya, including pregnant women, but that the link between latent infection and psychiatric disorders had not been studied sufficiently.
The researchers concluded by stressing the need for larger and more rigorous studies in Libya and the region more broadly, following people over longer periods to examine more fully the nature of the relationship between infection and psychiatric disorders.
