Measles, mumps, rubella antibodies in autistic children

ABSTRACTMEASLES, MUMPS, RUBELLA ANTIBODIES IN AUTISTIC CHILDRENAutism is a complex disorder of the central nervous system, manifesting bothneurologic and behavioral impairments. The cardinal features of this disorder aredefisits in social and communicative and stereotyped and restricted range of interestsand activities. The etiology and pathogenesis of the disorder is not well known orestablished. Current theories include genetic factors, immune factors, viral factors,neural factors and yet other unidentified factors. One of the theories was immunizationsspesifically the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR) may trigger autism.In this study, it was aimed to investigate serologically measles, mump, rubellaIgM and IgG antibody positivity in a group of autistic and healty controls. 35 boys and6 girls (total41) within an age range of 31 and 135 months (mean age 80.7±32.9)diagnosed as autism (grup 1) ; 24 boys and 4 girls (total28) within an age range of 36-132 months (77.3±29.1) as healty controls (grup 2) were included in this study.Childhood Autism Rating Scale was used to assess autism severity. Spesific measles,mumps, rubella IgM and IgG antibody tests by using ELISA (Enzyme LinkedImmunosorbent Assay) were performed in all children. IgM antibody were negative inall children . In group 1, 11 (%26,8) and in group 2, 10 (%35.7) children had measlesIgG positivity. In group 1, 17 ( %41.5), in group 2, 12 ( %42.9) had rubella IgGpositivity. In group 1 , 23 (%56.1) and in group 2, 15 (%53.6) children had mumps IgGpositivity. When the groups were compared with respect to measles, mumps, rubellaIgG positivity there was not statistically significant difference between the groups (p=0.431, p= 0.908, p=0.836).In conclusion according to the the present study we found no relationshipbetween measles, mump, rubella antibodies and autism.Key Words: Autism, Measles, Mump, Rubella.