Women with active genital herpes infections early in pregnancy are twice as likely to give birth to a child with autism, suggests new research published in the journal mSphere.
For the study, researchers examined two sets of blood samples from 412 mothers of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and 463 mothers of children without the disorder. Blood samples were extracted at week 18 of pregnancy and at birth.
Sign up for our FREE E-Weekly for more coverage like this sent to your inbox
Approximately 13 percent of mothers enrolled in the study tested positive for herpes virus simplex 2 — known to cause most genital herpes — at week 18 of pregnancy. The link between autism and maternal herpes infections was only evident in the blood samples taken at week 18 of pregnancy. Blood samples that tested positive for antibodies related to herpes infections at birth did not display a link to autism.
"The cause or causes of most cases of autism are unknown," said senior author W. Ian Lipkin, MD, a professor in epidemiology at Columbia University in New York City. "But evidence suggests a role for both genetic and environmental factors. Our work suggests that inflammation and immune activation may contribute to risk. Herpes simplex virus-2 could be one of any number of infectious agents involved."
More articles on infection control:
FDA approves new sepsis diagnostic tool
Laundry provider responds in UPMC mold case: 9 things to know
Researchers discover new drug class for treating parasitic infection