Antibodies to Infectious Agents in Individuals with Recent Onset Schizophrenia

antibodies to infectious agents in the serum and cerebral spinal fluids (CSFs)

of individuals with recent onset schizophrenia and compared these levels to

those of controls without psychiatric disease.  We found that untreated

individuals with recent onset schizophrenia had significantly increased levels

of serum and CSF IgG antibody to cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasma gondii as

compared to controls.  The levels of serum IgM class antibodies to these

agents were not increased.  Untreated individuals with recent onset

schizophrenia also had significantly lower levels of serum antibody to human

herpesvirus type 6 and varicella zoster virus as compared to controls. 

Levels of antibodies to herpes simplex virus type1, herpes simplex virus type 2,

status had a major effect on the levels of antibodies in this population. 

Individuals who were receiving treatment had lower levels of antibodies to

cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasma gondii, and higher levels of serum

antibodies to human herpesvirus type 6 as compared to untreated individuals. The

level of antibodies to Toxoplasma and human herpesvirus type 6 measured in

treated individuals did not differ from levels measured in controls.  In

the case of cytomegalovirus, the levels of CSF antibodies in treated individuals

did not differ than those of controls, while the level of serum IgG antibodies

untreated individuals with recent onset schizophrenia have altered levels of

antibodies to cytomegalovirus, Toxoplasma gondii, and human herpesvirus type 6

while the levels of these antibodies in treated individuals with recent onset

schizophrenia are similar to those of controls.  These findings indicate

that infectious agents may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of some case of