Toxoplasma gondii infection and risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; code: CRD42020149353). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using a random effects model. Seven studies involving five cross-sectional and two case-control studies were included in this meta-analysis.Results indicated that there was a statistically non-significant association between exposure to T. gondii infection and increased risk of ADHD based on the detection of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody (2.02 [95% CI: 0.97-4.20]; I2=58.7%). However, obtained results of Egger's tests for anti-T. gondii IgG antibody showed publication bias (P=0.014).Sensitivity analysis revealed stable results for the association between anti-T. gondii IgG antibody with ADHD.Given the small number of studies in this field and the obtained results, it cannot be conclusively stated that T. gondii is a risk factor for ADHD.It is important to have reliable information about the relationship between T. gondii and ADHD around the world; as it may lead to better insight to elucidate the possible association of toxoplasmosis and the pathogenesis of ADHD. PMID: 32186992 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Pathogens and Global Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: Pathog Glob Health Source Type: research