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Infection Linked to Large Increased Risk for Death by Suicide

Infection requiring hospitalization has been linked to a 43% increased risk of dying by suicide. The finding raises questions about the role of biological mechanisms of infection, particularly neuroinflammation, on suicidal behaviors.
"Our findings indicate that infections may have a relevant role in the pathophysiological mechanisms of suicidal behavior," the investigators, with first author Helene Lund-Sørensen, BM, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark, write.
"To our knowledge, this investigation is the largest study to date to examine infections as a predictor of death by suicide," they report.
The researchers also note that although "psychiatric disorders and previous suicide attempts might constitute stronger predictors of suicide, we found that hospitalization with infection accounted for a population-attributable risk of 10.1%.
"The implication is that 1 in 10 suicides could be prevented if infections were to be eliminated entirely, provided that the association was causal," they write.