MMR vaccine and autism: report from confference in Illinois, June 2000
- Vaccine Affect
- Aug 4
- 1 min read
Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine and Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Report From the New Challenges in Childhood Immunizations Conference Convened in Oak Brook, Illinois, June 12–13, 2000
Neal A. Halsey, MD; Susan L. Hyman, MD; the Conference Writing Panel
Pediatrics (2001) 107 (5): e84.
Different studies investigating the presence of measles virus in the intestines of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or autism have produced mixed results, partly due to inconsistent laboratory techniques. They concluded detecting fragments of the virus does not prove it causes disease, and further controlled research is needed to understand whether these viral traces are meaningful or simply incidental.
Studies to detect evidence of measles virus in intestinal tissue specimens from patients with IBD or autism with gastrointestinal symptoms have not used uniform techniques. Several laboratories have found no evidence of measles viruses in tissue specimens from patients with IBD, but 2 groups have found evidence of measles virus using different techniques. A group that found evidence of measles virus in affected tissue specimens from patients with IBD has also reported detecting portions of measles virus in peripheral blood lymphocytes and intestinal tissue specimens from patients with autism and gastrointestinal disorders.
