Research shows that a virus common in newborn babies may increase the risk of autism.
By examining medical records of nearly 3 million babies, researchers found that babies born with cytomegalovirus (CMV) are two and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with autism in their lifetime than children without CMV.
This seemingly harmless, cold-like bacterium affects about one in 200 babies and is the most common infection at birth in the US.
Yet doctors in the US currently do not test for this common virus, which is passed from pregnant women to their fetuses in the womb.
CMV is the most common congenital virus (that is, present at birth) in the United States, affecting an estimated one in every 200 births.
While more research is needed, researchers think the disease may cause inflammation in the fetus’ brain, disrupting fetal development, said Dr. Megan Pesch, lead author of the study.
The University of Michigan pediatrician told DailyMail.com that her daughter was born with CMV and autism, despite appearing completely healthy at birth.
She wants to raise awareness about the virus so that screening during pregnancy becomes more common in the US, as it is in other countries.
This could allow for more research into the topic to determine what causes CMV, ‘to better understand what congenital CMV entails so we can better support families.’
It is unclear when babies are most likely to develop this condition, as it is not routine in the US to screen pregnant women or newborns for the condition.
However, some studies show that treatment reduces the chance of developing more serious symptoms, such as hearing loss and developmental delay.
About 2.8 percent of American children have been diagnosed with autism.
Researchers do not know what causes this condition.
Genetics are thought to play a role, but injuries and other environmental factors may also play a role.
Autism leads to a range of behaviors, but is generally defined as a condition that affects the way people interact, communicate, and learn.
Some common symptoms include sensitivity to sounds, difficulty interpreting social cues, and delayed language development.
According to the NIH, most children are not diagnosed until after age 3.
Autism is a condition that affects an individual’s ability to interact, communicate and learn. There is a wide range of people with the condition, some severely affected and others living more ‘normal’ lives
Normally, CMV is relatively harmless and you probably won’t even know your baby has it, as many don’t have any symptoms. Dr. Pesch said some studies suggest that up to 90 percent of cases may go undiagnosed at birth because of this.
You get the disease when you come into contact with the saliva of an infected person.
According to Dr. Pesch, it is most common in toddlers. She therefore advises pregnant women and their partners to avoid contact with the bacteria by washing their hands regularly and avoiding their toddler’s saliva if he or she is feeling unwell.
If children do have symptoms, they resemble a cold, such as swollen lymph nodes and a sore throat.
In about 20 percent of cases, a newborn may develop birth defects or other long-term health problems as a result of congenital CMV, such as epilepsy, hearing loss, or cerebral palsy.
In her study published in the journal of the American Academy of PediatricsDr. Pesch analyzed the insurance claims of approximately 3 million children through Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
They found that baby girls born with CMV are over four and a half times more likely to develop autism than girls without CMV.
Boys born with CMV are twice as likely to develop autism than boys without CMV.
When a mother becomes infected with CMV during pregnancy, the virus can cross the placenta and infect the baby.
CMV can be passed from a mother to a fetus through the placenta. This can cause inflammation in the developing brain, which may be why Dr. Pesch found the link to autism
This causes inflammation in the fetus’s brain. The theory is that inflammation can put pressure on the fragile, developing brain tissue, which in turn disrupts normal development and increases the risk of autism.
There are some intravenous infusions or pills that doctors can give to patients with CMV. However, they reserve these drugs for people with weak immune systems and newborns. In the U.S., they are generally not given to pregnant women.
In other countries, antiviral drugs are commonly prescribed to treat CMV during pregnancy. According to Dr. Pesch, these are similar to the medications used to treat genital herpes and are probably harmless.
Dr. Pesch says earlier screening for the virus, when babies are still in the womb, gives doctors a chance to stop CMV before it damages the child’s brain.
Even making screening at birth standard could help, she said, because it makes new parents aware that their child is at greater risk of developing hearing problems and autism.
Newborns are already being screened for CMV in states like Connecticut, Florida and Kentucky. But she hopes the U.S. will follow the lead of its neighbors to the north: Canada has already introduced prenatal CMV screenings.
“If you know these children are at higher risk for autism, you can provide these families with appropriate care and support and look for symptoms earlier,” Dr. Pesch said.
“I think everyone agrees that children with autism can benefit from earlier support. Not to change them, not to cure them, you know, that’s not what we want, but to help them develop language and move through the world.”
