Autism: More evidence suggests a link to Lyme disease

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Up to a third of all cases of autism may be the result of Lyme disease

and other chronic infections, new research suggests.

 

Researcher Robert Bransfield believes that tick-borne infections, such

as Lyme disease, can weaken the immune system during infancy and make

the sufferer more vulnerable to autistic-spectrum diseases.

 

He estimates that between 20 per cent and 30 per cent of all autistic

children may be infected by Lyme disease or other similar infections.

 

If so, it means that 140,000 autistic children in the USA alone have

the problem as a direct result of an infection. If they were treated

with high-dose antibiotics – considered to be the most effective

therapy, especially in the early stages of infection – the savings in

healthcare and education costs would amount to around $358bn, he

estimates.

 

(Source: Medical Hypotheses, published online: November 5, 2007. doi:

10.1016/j.mehy.2007.09.006).