Toxoplasma gondii infection in first-episode and inpatient individuals with schizophrenia.

Background: A high seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection has been detected in psychiatric patients, particularly in schizophrenia cases.

Methods: In the present study 98 patients suffering from schizophrenia (58 inpatients and 40 first-episode patients) and 96 control patients (50 healthy volunteers and 46 with a depressive disorder) were examined for the presence of both IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).