BABIES born to mothers who have active genital herpes are at increased risk
of developing psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia when they grow up.
Although they have not explained the link, Stephen Buka at the Harvard School
of Public Health and his team say there is a significant association between the
two. They believe infants catch herpes during pregnancy or delivery, and that
the infection may trigger psychosis in genetically susceptible people later in
life.
Epidemiological studies have long pointed the finger at environmental factors
in psychotic diseases. Being born in the winter, in a city, or to a mother…
