A common virus in newborns may increase the risk of developing autism, a study suggests.
Examining the medical records of nearly 3 million babies, researchers found that those born with cytomegalovirus (CMV) were two and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with autism later in life than children without CMV.
This seemingly harmless cold-like infection affects about one in every 200 babies and is the most common infection present at birth in the U.S.
However, doctors in the United States do not currently test for the common virus, which is transmitted from pregnant women to their fetuses in the womb.
CMV is the most common congenital virus, meaning it is present at birth, in the United States, affecting approximately one in every 200 births.
Although more research is needed, researchers believe the disease may cause inflammation in the fetal brain that disrupts its development, said Dr. Megan Pesch, senior author of the study.
The pediatrician, from the University of Michigan, told DailyMail.com that her Her daughter was born with CMV and autism, despite appearing perfectly healthy at birth.
She wants to raise awareness about the virus so that pregnancy screening becomes more common in the United States, as it is in other countries.
This could allow for further research into the topic to determine what causes CMV, “to better understand what congenital CMV entails and thus be able to better support families.”
It’s not clear when babies most often get this condition, since it’s not common for pregnant women or newborns to be screened for the condition in the U.S.
But some studies suggest that treating it will reduce the likelihood of developing more extreme symptoms, such as hearing loss and developmental delays.
Approximately 2.8 percent of American children are diagnosed with autism.
Researchers do not know what causes the disease.
Genetics are thought to play a role, but so may injuries or other environmental factors.
Autism produces a range of behaviors, but is generally defined as a condition that affects how people interact, communicate, and learn.
Some common symptoms include sensitivity to noise, difficulty interpreting social cues, and delayed language skills.
According to the NIH, most children are not diagnosed until after age three.
Autism is a condition that affects a person’s ability to interact, communicate and learn. There are a wide variety of people who suffer from this condition, some of whom are severely affected and others who lead more “normal” lives.
CMV is usually relatively harmless and you may not even realize your child has it, as many have no symptoms. Dr. Pesch said some studies suggest that up to 90 percent of cases at birth may go undiagnosed.
It is contracted when someone comes into contact with the saliva of an infected person.
It’s particularly common in young children, Dr. Pesch said, so she recommends that pregnant women and their partners avoid contact by washing their hands frequently and avoiding their young children’s saliva when they’re not feeling well.
When children do have symptoms, they are similar to those of a cold, including 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 due to congenital CMV, such as epilepsy, hearing loss, or cerebral palsy.
In his study published in the journal of the American Academy of PediatricsDr. Pesch analyzed insurance claims for about 3 million children through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
In doing so, they found that girls born with CMV were four and a half times more likely to develop autism than those who did not have it.
Children born with CMV were twice as likely to develop autism as those without it.
When a mother is infected with CMV during pregnancy, it can cross the placenta and infect the child.
CMV can be passed from mother to fetus through the placenta, which can cause inflammation in the developing brain, which could be why Dr. Pesch found the link to autism.
This causes inflammation in the fetus’s brain. The theory is that the inflammation may put pressure on the fragile developing brain tissue, in turn disrupting normal development and increasing the likelihood of developing autism.
There are some intravenous infusions or pills that doctors can give to patients diagnosed with CMV, but they reserve these for people with weak immune systems and newborns, and tend not to give them to pregnant people in the U.S.
In other countries, antivirals are regularly given to treat CMV during pregnancy, and Dr. Pesch said they are similar to the medication used to treat genital herpes and are likely harmless.
Dr. Pesch suggests that early detection of the virus, when babies are still in the womb, could give doctors a chance to stop CMV before it damages a child’s brain.
Even making screening at birth a norm could help, she said, by alerting new parents to their children’s increased risk of developing hearing problems and autism.
States such as Connecticut, Florida and Kentucky already screen newborns for CMV, but she hopes the United States will follow the lead of its northern neighbors: Canada has already implemented prenatal CMV screening.
“If you know that these children may be at higher risk for autism, you can provide these families with similar services and support and detect symptoms earlier,” Dr. Pesch said.
“I think everyone would agree that children with autism can benefit from some early support, not to change them, not to cure them – we don’t want that – but to help them develop language and navigate the world.”
