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High rates of Lyme disease not seen in children with autism
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Children with autism are not more likely to be infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, according to a recent research letter published in JAMA.
The data do not address whether Lyme disease may cause autism-like behavioral deficits in some cases, researchers wrote. However, the study sample size is large enough to effectively rule out the suggested high rates of Lyme disease or associated seroprevalence among affected children.
The case control study included 120 children (70 with autism and 50 controls) to evaluate a possible link between autism and Lyme disease. Participants were screened for anti-B burgdorferi immunoglobulin G and M antibodies.
Researchers found, of the participants with autism, one was positive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for anti-B burgdorferi IgG and four were borderline for IgG. Of the controls four were positive and one was borderline for IgG and one positive for IgM.
According to researchers all samples that were positive or borderline were further evaluated and all were negative for anti-B burgdorferi antibody reactivity.
Disclosure: See the study for full list of disclosures.
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