There is evidence that some of the symptoms of psychosis may be related to past infection with common viruses.
Researchers are looking to recruit a total of 100 subjects with evidence in the past, of exposure to at least 1 of 3 viruses. The viruses include herpes type 1 (HSV-1, which causes cold sores of the lip and has affected about 6/10 people in Vancouver), herpes type 2 (HSV-2 which causes genital sores, and has affected less than 1/10 people in Vancouver) and cytomegalovirus (CMV, which causes few symptoms but has affected 8/10 people in Vancouver). People who have been infected with these viruses in the past develop antibodies in the blood. The antibodies can be measured in blood, and are a test of whether or not there was infection in the past, and possibly affecting the symptoms of psychosis.
