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Cytomegalovirus and Schizophrenia

A Test of a Viral Hypothesis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Satish Shrikhande ,
Steven R. Hirsch ,
J. C. Coleman ,
Michael A. Reveley  and
R. Dayton
Satish Shrikhande
Affiliation:
Victoria Union Hospital, Prince Albert, Canada, formerly St Finton's Hospital, Portlaoise, Ireland
Steven R. Hirsch
Affiliation:
Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, Fulham Palace Road, London W6
J. C. Coleman
Affiliation:
Dept of Microbiology, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School
Michael A. Reveley
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5
R. Dayton
Affiliation:
Dept of Microbiology, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School
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Summary

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 20 chronically hospitalised male schizophrenics and from 12 patients admitted with acute schizophrenia were examined for antibodies against cytomegalovirus. A sensitive and specific enzyme-immunoassay was used to detect IgG or I g M classes of antibodies in the CSF of the schizophrenic patients and often orthopaedic patients, who served as controls. No significant amounts of I g M antibody were found in the CSF of either group. A significant titre of IgG was found in only one of the 32 schizophrenics, an acute patient, but in four of the orthopaedic patients. The results do not support an association of cytomegalovirus infection with schizophrenia; if such an association occurs, it must be unusual.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 146 , Issue 5 , May 1985 , pp. 503 - 506
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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