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Prenatal acquired cytomegalovirus infection should be considered in children with autism
Author(s) -
Engman MonaLisa,
Sundin Mikael,
Miniscalco Carmela,
Westerlund Joakim,
LewensohnFuchs Ilona,
Gillberg Christopher,
Fernell Elisabeth
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.13032
Subject(s) - medicine , intellectual disability , autism , cytomegalovirus , autism spectrum disorder , pediatrics , psychiatry , virus , immunology , viral disease , herpesviridae
Abstract Aim The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection (CMV) in a representative sample of children with autism spectrum disorder. Methods In a representative group of 115 preschool children with autism spectrum disorder, of whom 33 also had intellectual disability, the dried blood spots from the newborn metabolic screening were analysed for CMV DNA using TaqMan polymerase chain reaction. Results One of the 33 children with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability – 3% of that group – had congenital CMV infection. The corresponding prevalence in newborn infants in Sweden is 0.2%. None of the 82 children without intellectual disability had congenital CMV. Conclusion The finding lends some further support for congenital CMV being one of the many aetiologies underlying autism spectrum disorder with intellectual disability. The rate of 3% of congenital CMV in children with autism spectrum disorder with intellectual disability has implications for the medical work‐up. The finding of congenital CMV also indicates the need for repeated hearing assessments in the child. There is a need for similar studies with much larger samples.