Rare pregnancy infections linked to autism
Nearly 1 in 5 infected children later developed autism, and risks of intellectual disability rose more than sevenfold in sibling comparisons.
- A nationwide cohort study published in JAMA Pediatrics on Monday tracked 3.7 million births in Sweden, revealing that congenital TORCH infections significantly increase the risk of autism and intellectual disability in children.
- Researchers tracked participants across health, psychiatric, and educational records for up to 30 years to analyze how TORCH pathogens, including Toxoplasma, affect fetal brain development.
- Congenital TORCH infections were associated with a threefold higher risk of autism and over seven times higher risk of intellectual disability, with severe cases surging to up to 30 times higher compared to uninfected peers.
- While researchers found no clear association with ADHD or Tourette, infected individuals showed measurably lower school grades in adolescence, even without a clinical neurodevelopmental diagnosis.
- Approximately one in five children born with a diagnosed TORCH infection later developed autism; because many infections are preventable through proactive measures like the MMR vaccine, researchers emphasize they represent an actionable public health priority.
15 Articles
15 Articles
TORCH infections are a group of diseases that can be transmitted from the mother to the fetus during pregnancy or childbirth and cause serious developmental problems. It is the acronym in English that groups the following infectious agents: T ( Toxoplasmosis ), O (Other agents: includes infections such as syphilis, chickenpox, parvovirus B19 and Zika virus), R (Rubéola), C (Citomegalovirus ) and H (Simple Herpes).Now, a study by the Karolinska I…
These infections, according to one study, would also triple the risk of being diagnosed with autism.
Medical Xpress
ki.seRare pregnancy infections linked to autism
Infections that, in rare cases, can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to the fetus are linked to an increased risk of autism and intellectual disability in the child. This is shown by a study from Karolinska Institutet published in JAMA Pediatrics.
(Adnkronos) "Infections that, in rare cases, a pregnant woman can transmit to the fetus are associated with a greater risk of autism and intellectual disability in the child." It is the conclusion of a study by the Swedish Karolinska Institutet, published in 'Jama Paediatrics'. The infections that the Nobel Institute team put under the lens [...]
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