The Association Between Herpes Simplex Viruses and Autism

Assiut University

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder

Treatments: Genetic: enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03180112

HA

Details and patient eligibility

About

Autism spectrum disorders are pervasive developmental disorders that include autistic disorder, Asperger's disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified.They are characterized by stereotypic behaviors, variable deficits in language and social skills and a wide range of other behavioral problems. Autism spectrum disorders manifest during childhood and at least thirty percent present with sudden clinical regression of development around three years of age.

Full description

Over the last twenty years, there has been an impressive rise in Autism spectrum disorders with current prevalence estimates being about one over one hundred children.

Herpes simplex virus encephalitis is the leading cause of sporadic, nonepidemic encephalitis in children and adults in the United States. It is an acute necrotizing infection generally involving the frontal and/or temporal cortex and the limbic system and, beyond the neonatal period, is almost always caused by Herpes simplex virus type on.

The etiology of autism is unknown; data suggest that autism results from multiple etiologies with both genetic and environmental contributions. One proposed etiology for autism is viral infection very early in development. The mechanism, by which viral infection may lead to autism, be it through direct infection of the central nervous system, through infection elsewhere in the body acting as a trigger for disease in the central nervous system, through alteration of the immune response of the mother or offspring, or through a combination of these, is not yet known.

Many encephalitic patients had temporal lobe involvement. Autism results from neuropathology relating to the temporal lobes. They speculate the differences in the extent and neuropathologies of the temporal lobes contribute to the heterogeneity of autism. Also, herpes viruses can induce a variety of proinflammatory cytokines during infections, along with elevated interferon in the brain during Herpes simplex virus encephalitis.

Enrollment: 80 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 6 months to 5 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Children suffering from Autism spectrum disorders.
2. Age between six months and five years

Exclusion criteria

1. Genetic disorders.
2. History of metabolic or neurodegenerative disease.
3. Gross motor delay.
4. Audiologic problems.
5. Mental retardation.
6. Other psychiatric problems.

Trial design

80 participants in 2 patient groups

case group

Description:

Children suffering from Autism Spectrum disorders of variable grades attending to assiut University Children Hospital aged between six months and five years.

Treatment:

Genetic: enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction

control group

Description:

Healthy children of matching age and sex.

Treatment:

Genetic: enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction