Exposure to environmental toxins linked to autism incidence rates

Researchers from the University of Chicago have found that rates of autism and intellectually disability in the US correlate with incidence of genital malformation in newborn males at county level - an indicator of fetus exposure to harmful environmental factors, such as pesticides.
The research team, including Prof. Andrey Rzhetsky, recently published their findings in the journal PLOS Computational Biology.
Past research has linked environmental factors with the development of autism.
Last year, Medical News Today reported on a study suggesting that pregnant women exposed to high levels of air pollution are twice as likely to have a child with autism.
To investigate this association further, the researchers analyzed medical information from an insurance claims database that involved almost 100 million patients across the US.
As an indicator of parental exposure to environmental toxins, the team looked at the levels of congenital malformations of the reproductive system in males.

Researchers have found that autism rates strongly correlate with rates of genital malformations at birth in males across the US - an indicator of fetus exposure to harmful environmental factors.

They note that male fetuses are very sensitive to certain environmental toxins, and such exposure is believed to lead to reproductive malformations existing at birth, including micropenis and undescended testicles.
On assessing the incidence rates of autism and intellectual disability (ID) in their dataset county by county, the team found that every 1% increase in malformations was linked to a 283% increase in autism and a 94% increase in ID in that same county.
They also found that almost all areas with higher autism rates had higher ID rates. The researchers say this supports the presence of harmful environmental factors in these areas.
Furthermore, the researchers discovered that male children with autism were almost six times more likely to have genital malformations at birth.

Effect of environmental exposure 'surprisingly strong'

Commenting on the findings, Prof. Rzhetsky says:

"Autism appears to be strongly correlated with rate of congenital malformations of the genitals in males across the country. This gives an indicator of environmental load and the effect is surprisingly strong."

The research team also found that viral infections in males were linked to significant increases in incidence rates of autism and ID.
Since exposure to environmental toxins is associated with the weakening of human immune systems, the researchers say this finding supports the theory that environmental exposure may be linked to autism and ID incidence.
On analyzing other potential factors that may influence autism and ID incidence rates, the researchers found that state-specific law had a significant impact. For example, state-mandated diagnosis of autism by a clinician or pediatrician for consideration in the special education system was linked to a 99% decrease in autism and ID incidence rates.

Fast facts about autism

 
• Approximately 1 in 88 children in the US has been identified with an ASD.
• ASDs are almost five times more common among boys than girls.
• Children born to older parents are at higher risk for ASDs.

Income appeared to have a small impact on incidence rates. Every extra $1,000 income above the county average was linked to a 3% increase in autism and ID rates, but this was considered a "weak link."
The researchers note there were some limitations to their study that could prevent the findings from being generalizable. For example, ease of access to data may differ between counties, or there could be "uneven genetic distribution."
"For future genetic studies we may have to take into account where data were collected, because it's possible that you can get two identical kids in two different counties and one would have autism and the other would not," explains Prof. Rzhetsky.
But overall, he says the team interprets the results of the study as "a strong environmental signal."

source:  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/274088.php

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Oral thrush a common complication of HIV 'because of fungi

A new study investigates the role of bacteria and fungi in the human mouth. Researchers from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, published their findings in the journal PLOS Pathogens.
Experts know that organisms that live in our mouths are capable of contributing to both health and disease.
It is also known that these organisms are more likely to cause oral diseases, such as oral candidiasis (oral thrush), in people with compromised immune systems - such as those who have cancer or who are infected with HIV.
In this new study, researchers compared the bacteria and fungi present in the mouths of people who are HIV-positive with the bacteria and fungi present in the mouths of healthy people.
The researchers used high-throughput gene sequencing to catalogue the bacteria and fungi present.
They found that there was no overall difference in the bacteria found in people infected with HIV and the healthy people. However, there were consistent differences in the oral fungi present in the two groups.
The Candida family of fungi was found in both groups, but at higher levels in the mouths of people with HIV. Another fungi family, Pichia, was found in high levels in the healthy group, but at lower levels in the group with HIV.

'Good' oral fungi can suppress 'bad' oral fungi

The researchers wondered if the reason for the opposite fungi levels in the two groups was because one species of fungi works to suppress the other.

Fast facts about oral candidiasis

• Symptoms include creamy white lesions, loss of taste and a "cottony feeling" in the mouth.
• Repeated bouts of oral candidiasis could be the first sign of HIV infection.
• In people with HIV, oral thrush is more likely to spread to other parts of the body - such as the lungs, liver and intestines.

To test this, they grew Pichia alone in a liquid and then filtered the fungus out. They found that the "Pichia spent medium" (PSM) that was left was able to stop Candida and several other forms of disease-inducing fungi from growing.
This explains why oral candidiasis (otherwise known as "thrush") is a common complication of HIV infection, despite the fact that antiretroviral therapies have reduced the susceptibility of HIV-infected people to different types of infection.
Translating their findings with the PSM to an animal model, the researchers treated a group of mice with PSM and found that they had much less severe symptoms of oral candidiasis than a group of untreated mice.
"Our findings have wide implications regarding the discovery of novel antifungal agents and will open the way to new therapeutic approaches for the management of fungal infections," the study authors say.
"Detailed investigations are warranted to purify and characterize the specific Pichia factors that can inhibit Candida and other disease-causing fungi," they conclude.

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Gov Peter Obi rewards 1st Class Anambra graduates with N1m each

Yesterday at the Alex Ekwueme Square in Anambra state, Anambra Governor Peter Obi presented a cheque of N160 million which is to be disbursed to 160 first class graduates who are origins of the state. The Governor said it was a gesture by his administration to encourage undergraduate students to strive for academic excellence.

He directed that none of the recepients should be given cash but the money should be paid into their various accounts for better utilization.

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