Scientists Tracked 3.7 Million Births-One Rare Factor Was Linked to Autism

Key Points:

• A study by Sweden's Karolinska Institutet found that children born with congenital TORCH infections are about three times more likely to be diagnosed with autism and over seven times more likely to develop intellectual disabilities compared to uninfected children.
• TORCH infections, including cytomegalovirus, rubella, toxoplasmosis, and herpes viruses, can cross the placenta during pregnancy and affect fetal development, leading to increased risks of neurodevelopmental issues.
• The study, analyzing data from 3.7 million births in Sweden between 1987 and 2021, also found that children exposed to TORCH infections had lower school grades at age 16, even without autism or intellectual disability diagnoses.
• Despite the significant individual risks, congenital TORCH infections are rare, so their overall impact on autism prevalence at the population level is limited.
• Preventive measures include vaccination against rubella before pregnancy, good hand hygiene, avoiding contact with young children's saliva and urine, careful food handling, and caution with cat feces to reduce the risk of these infections during pregnancy.