Schizoprenia Linked to Cats, Parasite Toxoplasma Gondii May Increase Risk of Disorder in Adulthood

A parasite found in cats' feces is linked to increased risk of schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a dangerous parasite that lives on cat feces and causes toxoplasmosis, a latent condition that can result in seizures, eye infections, miscarriages, other serious complications and even death.

Scientists from the Stanley Laboratory of Development Neurovirology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine believe that children who grew up with cats have an increased risk of being exposed to the parasite.

A recent study published in Schizophrenia Bulletin suggests that there is a connection between children owning a cat and the development of schizophrenia and other mental disorders during their adult years.

"Cat ownership in childhood has now been reported in three studies to be significantly more common in families in which the child is later diagnosed with schizophrenia or another serious mental illness," the researchers said, according to Inquisitr.

Another study published in the journal Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica suggests the same thing about the possible link between T. gondii and mental disorders. The research was produced by scientists from Amsterdam's Academic Medical Centre.

CBS News reports that people infected with the parasite doubly increase the chances of developing schizophrenia. The infection is also linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction.

"In schizophrenia, the evidence of an association with T. gondii is overwhelming," the authors of the second study said. "These findings may give further clues about how T. gondii infection can possibly [alter] the risk of specific psychiatric disorders."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are other ways with which the parasite is spread

This does not mean however that all people who own cats are prone to schizophrenia nor are all cases of schizophrenia related to owning cats or getting the infection from parasites. According to the CDC, there are other ways by which the parasite is spread.

T. gondii can be acquired by ingesting contaminated meat, fruits and vegetables; through organ transplant and blood transfusion which are rare instances, and through congenital transmission in which the mother had been carrying the parasite during pregnancy. The latter can be dangerous for the unborn infant as it can cause nervous system and eye disorders.

Pregnant women should avoid cleaning litter boxes as much as possible because it is where cats potentially shed contaminated feces. If this cannot be avoided, wear disposable gloves and then wash hands properly with soap and water.