Authors : Ali Shotar, Sukaina A. Alzyoud and Ahed J. AlKhatib
Abstract: Infectious diseases have social impacts that are reflected through impacts on personality. Latent toxoplasmosis is an example of an association between personality disorders and infectious diseases. The aims of the present study are to determine the prevalence of seropositivity of IgG and IgM of T. gondii among inmates who were held on murder actions and to assess the association between toxoplasmosis with predictors including demographic variables. The methodology involved conducting a cross sectional study to collect data from 197 participants who were arrested for murder actions. A total of 200 participants from normal population were included as a control group. Study procedure involved constructing a questionnaire which included demographic variables and general information about participants that related to crime. It is also involved to withdraw a blood sample of each participant to assay the levels of T. gondii IgG and IgM using ELISA. Study findings showed that the prevalence of T. gondii was about 21% and that of IgM about 4%. A significantly association in the level T. gondii IgG between study and control groups was observed (p = 0.010) and another significantly association between study and control groups was also observed for T. gonii IgM (p = 0.012). Taken together, the present study showed a social impact of infection by latent toxoplasmosis on violent behaviors.
Ali Shotar, Sukaina A. Alzyoud and Ahed J. AlKhatib, 2015. Social Impacts of Infectious Diseases: Latent Toxoplasmosis and Crime. The Social Sciences, 10: 1677-1681.