Minerva

Following studies that showed an association between schizophrenia and infection with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, a cohort study of over 45 500 women born in Denmark shows that mothers with high levels of T gondii-specific IgG antibodies have a significantly increased risk of developing schizophrenia spectrum disorders. People become infected mainly by consumption of undercooked meat containing T gondii cysts, by ingestion of oocysts from the faeces of infected cats, or congenitally from a mother with primary infection during pregnancy (American Journal of Psychiatry 2011, doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.10091351).

What is the effect of physician-led remote telemedical management on death and hospital admission for patients with chronic heart disease, compared with usual care? Very little, according to a paper in Circulation (2011;123:1873-80, doi:10.1161/circulationaha.111.018473). In ambulatory patients with chronic heart failure, …