The link between Toxoplasma gondii infections and higher mortality in COVID-19 patients having schizophrenia.
Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci
; 272(1): 167-168, 2022 Feb.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1449958
ABSTRACT
A strong link between schizophrenia and a higher mortality rate from SARS-CoV-2 infections has been reported for schizophrenia patients, with a mortality odds ratio (OR) of 2.67 compared to normal patients, after adjustment of the OR for age, sex, race and extra risk factors. In addition, an extensive number of papers have reported a very strong link between schizophrenia and Toxoplasma gondii infections. A meta-analysis of 38 studies of links between schizophrenia and T. gondii antibody seroprevalence resulting from previous infections indicated that the likelihood of T. gondii infection in schizophrenia patients was 2.7 times higher than the general population. In other words, the meta-analysis indicated that schizophrenia patients had an odds ratio of 2.7 of T. gondii infection compared to the general population. This indicates that compared to the general population, schizophrenia patients have virtually the same odds ratio for having a T. gondii infection and for mortality from a COVID-19 infection. This suggests that T. gondii infections, directly or indirectly, have a relationship with higher mortality in COVID-19 patients having schizophrenia. This conclusion would also apply to the general population.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Schizophrenia
/
Toxoplasmosis
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Reviews
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
English
Journal:
Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci
Journal subject:
Neurology
/
Psychiatry
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S00406-021-01341-0
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