Study Links Parasite with Self-Harm Risk

Women infected with a common parasite may be more likely to harm themselves, a study suggests. The study was based on records for 45,788 new mothers in Denmark. All of them had been part of a study that tested newborn babies for antibodies against the Toxoplasma gondii parasite. The antibodies come from the mother, cross the placenta and get into the newborn. This parasite causes the infection toxoplasmosis. People can become infected by handling cat litter. Other causes include eating undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables. The infection may remain in a person’s brain or body for years and cause no symptoms. However, it can be dangerous for a fetus or someone with a weak immune system. Newborns can’t make these antibodies, so testing the newborns identified which mothers had toxoplasmosis some time in their lives.