The association of Toxoplasma gondii infection with suicide attempts has been scarcely evaluated. Two hundred eighty-three psychiatric outpatients (156 patients with history of suicide attempt and 127 control patients without history of suicide attempt) were examined with enzyme-linked immunoassays for Toxoplasma immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies. Seroprevalences of Toxoplasma IgG and IgM in the cases and the controls were similar: 7 (4.5%) and 3 (1.9%) vs. 10 (7.9%) and 3 (2.4%) (p = 0.23 and p = 0.55), respectively. In contrast, the Toxoplasma IgG levels higher than 150 IU/ml were more frequently observed in the cases than in the controls (100% vs. 50%, respectively; p = 0.04). The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma infection increased with age and with the number of suicide attempts. Toxoplasma seropositivity was associated with reflex impairment, national trips, and snake meat consumption. Our results suggest that although seroprevalence of Toxoplasma infection is not associated with suicide attempts, a high anti-Toxoplasma antibody level is, therefore warranting further research.

BackgroundThe Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS) has been validated and used successfully in detecting postnatal depression in several language versions in a number of countries. However, there is not any Mexican version of the EPDS that had been validated. Therefore, we sought to validate a Spanish translated Mexican version of the EPDS in a population of puerperal Mexican women.MethodsOne hundred puerperal women within their three month postpartum period attending routine postnatal consultations in a public hospital in Durango City, Mexico participated in the study. The participants were divided into two groups: one group included 49 women with less than 4 weeks of postpartum, and the other group included 51 women within 4 to 13 weeks of postpartum. All participants submitted a Spanish translated Mexican version of the EPDS and were interviewed by a psychiatrist to assess major and minor depression by using DSM-IV criteria.ResultsOut of the 49 women with less than 4 weeks of postpartum, 4 were found as suffering from major depression and none from minor depression by using the DSM-IV criteria. In this group of women we found that the best EPDS score for screening depression was 11/12. This threshold showed a sensitivity of 75% (95% CI: 63.8–86.2), a specificity of 93% (95% CI: 84.6–100), a positive predictive value of 50%, a negative predictive value of 97.6%, and an area under the curve of 0.84. While in the 51 women within 4 to 13 weeks of postpartum, 7 were found as suffering from major depression and 1 from minor depression by using the DSM-IV criteria. In this group we found that the best EPDS score for screening depression was 7/8. This threshold showed a sensitivity of 75% (95% CI: 66.1–83.9), a specificity of 84% (95% CI: 76.1–91.9), a positive predictive value of 46.2%, a negative predictive value of 94.7% and an area under the curve of 0.80.ConclusionThe Mexican version of the EPDS can be considered for screening depression in puerperal Mexican women whenever cut-off scores of 11/12 and 7/8 in women with less than 4 weeks and within 4 to 13 weeks of postpartum are used, respectively.

BackgroundThe Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS) is useful for screening depression in puerperal women as well as women during pregnancy. However, such instrument should be validated in a given language before it can be used. There is not validated Mexican version of the EPDS for use in adult pregnant women. Therefore, we sought to validate a Spanish translated Mexican version of the EPDS in a population of adult pregnant women.MethodsOne hundred fifty-eight adult women (mean age: 28 ± 6.8 years; range: 18 - 45 years) within their 2 - 9 months of pregnancy attending routine prenatal consultations in a public hospital in Durango City, Mexico were studied. All pregnant women submitted a Spanish translated Mexican version of the EPDS. In addition, participants were assessed for major and minor depression by using the DSM-IV criteria.ResultsOf the 158 pregnant women studied, 11 had major depression and 26 had minor depression by the DSM-IV criteria. The best EPDS score for screening combined major and minor depression in adult pregnant women was 9/10. This threshold showed a sensitivity of 75.7%, a specificity of 74.4%, a positive predictive value of 50.8%, a negative predictive value of 94.7% and an area under the curve of 0.89 (95% confidence interval: 0.71 - 1.06).ConclusionThe Mexican version of the EPDS can be considered for screening depression in Mexican adult pregnant women whenever a cut-off score of 9/10 is used.

BackgroundVery little is known about the link of T. gondii infection and depression. Through an age-, gender-, and month of pregnancy-matched case-control study, we determined the association of T. gondii infection and depression in pregnant women.MethodsWe studied 200 pregnant women with depression and 200 pregnant women without depression attended in a public hospital in Durango City, Mexico. Pregnant women were tested for the presence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA), and IgG seropositive women were further tested for the presence of IgM using an EIA. IgM positivity by EIA was further analyzed by enzyme-linked fluorescence assay (ELFA).ResultsAnti-T. gondii IgG antibodies were found in 9 (4.5%) of the 200 cases and in 12 (6.0%) of the 200 controls (OR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.30–1.79; P = 0.50). The frequency of high (>150 IU/ml) anti-T. gondii IgG levels was similar in cases and in controls (OR = 1.20; 95% CI: 0.36–4.01; P = 0.75). Two women were positive for IgM by EIA but both were negative by ELFA.ConclusionsWe did not find serological evidence of an association between T. gondii infection and depression in pregnant women attended in a public hospital in Durango City, Mexico. Since an association of T. gondii and depression in pregnancy has been reported in the U.S. previously, further research to elucidate the role of T. gondii in prenatal depression should be conducted.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-017-2292-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background :Depression may occur in teenager pregnant women. The use of a validated tool for screening depression is highly recommended. The Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS) is a screening tool for depression used in women during the postnatal period and pregnancy. However, the EPDS has not been validated in teenager pregnant women. Therefore, we sought to validate a Spanish translated Mexican version of the EPDS in a population of teenager pregnant women. Methods: One hundred and twenty teenager pregnant women attending routine prenatal consultations in a public hospital in Durango City, Mexico participated in the study. All participants submitted a revised Spanish translated Mexican version of the EPDS and were examined by a psychiatrist to evaluate the presence of depression by using DSM-IV criteria. Results: Of the 120 teenager pregnant women studied, 2 had major depression and 25 had minor depression according to the DSM-IV criteria. The optimal EPDS cut-off for screening combined major and minor depression in teenager pregnant women was 8/9. At this threshold, we found a sensitivity of 70.4%, a specificity of 84.9%, a positive predictive value of 47.6%, a negative predictive value of 91.0%, and an area under the curve of 0.81 (95% confidence interval: 0.56-1.07). Conclusion: The EPDS can be used for screening depression in Mexican teenager pregnant women whenever a cut-off score of 8/9 is used.