Investigation of probable relationship between Toxoplasma gondii and cryptogenic epilepsy

PURPOSE Cryptogenic epilepsy, defines a group of epilepsy syndromes for which an aetiology is unknown but an underlying brain disease is suspected. We selected patients in this subgroup of epilepsy and investigated the sero-positivity rate for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). We investigated the probable relationship between Toxoplasma gondii and cryptogenic epilepsy. METHODS We selected 50 patients with cryptogenic epilepsy, 50 patients with known cause epilepsy and 50 healthy volunteers and investigated the sero-positivity rate for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies by ELISA. RESULTS The sero-positivity rate for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies among cryptogenic epilepsy patients (52%) was found to be higher than healthy volunteers (18%) and known cause epilepsy patients (22%) with statistical significance, (X(2)=18.095, P<0.01). CONCLUSION There might be a causal relationship between chronic toxoplasmosis and the aetiology of cryptogenic epilepsy.