No evidence of relation between maternal exposure to herpes simplex virus type 2 and risk of schizophrenia?

Objective: The authors examined whether maternal exposure to herpes virus type 2 is associated with risk for adult schizophrenia. Method: The authors studied a large birth cohort, born 1959 1967, with follow-up for schizophrenia from 1981 through 1997. Sixty patients were diagnosed with schizophrenia and other spectrum disorders; 110 comparison subjects had no schizophrenia spectrum or major affective disorders and were matched to patients by date of birth, gender, time in the cohort, and availability of maternal sera. Archived maternal sera of patients and comparison subjects from late pregnancy were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for immunoglobulin (IgG) antibody to herpes simplex virus type 2. Results: The authors found no associations between maternal IgG seropositivity or antibody levels to herpes simplex virus type 2 and risk of schizophrenia. Conclusions: The authors found no support for a relationship between prenatal herpes simplex virus 2 type exposure and risk of schizophrenia.