Elevated levels of measles antibodies in children with
autism.
Singh VK, Jensen RL.
Department of Biology and Biotechnology Center, Utah State University, Logan,
Utah, USA.
Virus-induced autoimmunity may play a causal role in autism. To examine the
etiologic link of viruses in this brain disorder, we conducted a serologic study
of measles virus, mumps virus, and rubella virus. Viral antibodies were measured
by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the serum of autistic children, normal
children, and siblings of autistic children. The level of measles antibody, but
not mumps or rubella antibodies, was significantly higher in autistic children
as compared with normal children (P = 0.003) or siblings of autistic children (P
<or= 0.0001). Furthermore, immunoblotting of measles vaccine virus revealed that
the antibody was directed against a protein of approximately 74 kd molecular
weight. The antibody to this antigen was found in 83% of autistic children but
not in normal children or siblings of autistic children. Thus autistic children
have a hyperimmune response to measles virus, which in the absence of a wild
type of measles infection might be a sign of an abnormal immune reaction to the
vaccine strain or virus reactivation.
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