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First Vaccine to Help Control Some Autism Symptoms?

Glynis Steele

Senior Member
Messages
404
Location
Newcastle upon Tyne UK
Apr. 24, 2013 — A first-ever vaccine created by University of Guelph researchers for gut bacteria common in autistic children may also help control some autism symptoms.

The groundbreaking study by Brittany Pequegnat and Guelph chemistry professor Mario Monteiro appears this month in the journal Vaccine. They developed a carbohydrate-based vaccine against the gut bug Clostridium bolteae. C. bolteae is known to play a role in gastrointestinal disorders, and it often shows up in higher numbers in the GI tracts of autistic children than in those of healthy kids.
More than 90 per cent of children with autism spectrum disorders suffer from chronic, severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Of those, about 75 per cent suffer from diarrhea, according to current literature.

"Little is known about the factors that predispose autistic children to C. bolteae," said Monteiro. Although most infections are handled by some antibiotics, he said, a vaccine would improve current treatment. "This is the first vaccine designed to control constipation and diarrhea caused by C. bolteae and perhaps control autism-related symptoms associated with this microbe," he said.
Autism cases have increased almost sixfold over the past 20 years, and scientists don't know why. Although many experts point to environmental factors, others have focused on the human gut.
Some researchers believe toxins and/or metabolites produced by gut bacteria, including C. bolteae, may be associated with symptoms and severity of autism, especially regressive autism.

Full article:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130424112309.htm
 

Waverunner

Senior Member
Messages
1,079
I like this finding and I don't want to offend anyone by repeating myelf but Glynis, you left out my favorite part from the article. According to the authors, how long does it take, before the vaccine could become available? At least 10 years and only if everything runs perfectly, which probably won't be the case. So we have to wait around another 12-15 years. This is a joke. Let patients decide if they want to try this vaccine and not some stupid regulator who never had to suffer from anything.
 

Glynis Steele

Senior Member
Messages
404
Location
Newcastle upon Tyne UK
Yeah, my heart sank when I saw that bit. And how can they spend all this time developing this without proof that these bacteria are causing the neurological changes. I think this needs to be verified first imo.

Nevertheless, I do tend to become excited when I see any gut bug/carbohydrate link to autistic behaviours, as my daughter when tube fed did not display any autistic triats, and only developed them when we repeatedly tried to give her carbs.
 

Waverunner

Senior Member
Messages
1,079
True, for many diseases it's all pointing into the same direction, involvement of the gut and microbiome. It's time to treat the cause, not symptoms.
 

MeSci

ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
Messages
8,231
Location
Cornwall, UK
Apr. 24, 2013 — A first-ever vaccine created by University of Guelph researchers for gut bacteria common in autistic children may also help control some autism symptoms.

The groundbreaking study by Brittany Pequegnat and Guelph chemistry professor Mario Monteiro appears this month in the journal Vaccine. They developed a carbohydrate-based vaccine against the gut bug Clostridium bolteae. C. bolteae is known to play a role in gastrointestinal disorders, and it often shows up in higher numbers in the GI tracts of autistic children than in those of healthy kids.
More than 90 per cent of children with autism spectrum disorders suffer from chronic, severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Of those, about 75 per cent suffer from diarrhea, according to current literature.

"Little is known about the factors that predispose autistic children to C. bolteae," said Monteiro. Although most infections are handled by some antibiotics, he said, a vaccine would improve current treatment. "This is the first vaccine designed to control constipation and diarrhea caused by C. bolteae and perhaps control autism-related symptoms associated with this microbe," he said.
Autism cases have increased almost sixfold over the past 20 years, and scientists don't know why. Although many experts point to environmental factors, others have focused on the human gut.
Some researchers believe toxins and/or metabolites produced by gut bacteria, including C. bolteae, may be associated with symptoms and severity of autism, especially regressive autism.

Full article:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130424112309.htm

Hi, Glynis. I thought of you, and about recent discussions on here about autism, when I saw this paper today about increased incidence of autism when mothers took valproate:

http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1681408

I wondered whether this effect could be via effects on the gut, but valproate has so many effects it is impossible to ascertain yet. The paper says: "The precise mode of action of valproate is not established, but it may alter neurotransmitter functioning involved in cell migration and differentiation, neuronal apoptosis,22 or synaptic plasticity23 or act via other mechanisms including attenuation of folic acid metabolism, inhibition of histone deacetylases, oxidative stress, and production of arene oxide intermediates.24- 25"