Associations between Chlamydophila infections, schizophrenia and risk of HLA-A10.

Abstract

Several microbes have been suspected as pathogenetic factors in schizophrenia. We have previously observed increased frequencies of chlamydial infections and of human lymphocyte antigen (HLA)-A10 in independent studies of schizophrenia. Our aim here was to analyze frequencies of three types of Chlamydiaceae in schizophrenic patients (n=72), random controls (n=225) and hospital-patient controls (n=36), together with HLA-A genotypes. Patients were diagnosed with schizophrenia according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV. Blood samples were collected at the beginning of hospitalization and analyzed with Chlamydiaceae species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Control panels consisted of randomly selected volunteers and hospitalized, non-schizophrenic patients. We found chlamydial infection in 40.3% of the schizophrenic patients compared to 6.7% in the controls. The association of schizophrenia with Chlamydiaceae infections was highly significant (P=1.39 x 10(-10), odds ratio (OR)=9.43), especially with Chlamydophila psittaci (P=2.81 x 10(-7), OR=24.39). Schizophrenic carriers of the HLA-A10 genotype were clearly most often infected with Chlamydophila, especially C. psittaci (P=8.03 x 10(-5), OR=50.00). Chlamydophila infections represent the highest risk factor yet found to be associated with schizophrenia. This risk is even further enhanced in carriers of the HLA-A10 genotype.

• Authors: B Fellerhoff, B Laumbacher, N Mueller, S Gu, R Wank
• Journal: Molecular psychiatry (Mol Psychiatry) Vol. 12 Issue 3 Pg. 264-72 (Mar 2007) ISSN: 1359-4184 [Print] England
• PMID: 17102800 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• HLA-A Antigens
• HLA-A10 antigen

Topics

• Adult
• Chlamydia Infections (complications)
• Chlamydiaceae (classification, genetics, isolation & purification, pathogenicity)
• Female
• Genetic Predisposition to Disease
• HLA-A Antigens (analysis, genetics)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Odds Ratio
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (methods)
• Risk
• Schizophrenia (etiology, genetics, microbiology)