Researchers Create Vaccine Against Bacteria Found In Guts Of Children With Autism

Researchers have designed a new kind of vaccine that can treat some symptoms of autism.

The vaccine is effective against bacteria that are more commonly found in children with autism than in children without the condition. Clostridium bolteae is associated with gastrointestinal disorders. More than 90 percent of all children with autism and about 75 percent of these suffer from diarrhea due to its presence.

The study was conducted by Brittany Pequegnat and co-professor Mario Monteiro from University of Guelph.

"Little is known about the factors that predispose autistic children to C. bolteae," said Monteiro.

He added that most cases of infection by the bugs are treated with the help of antibiotics, and the vaccine could aid the current treatment. The new vaccine targets specific carbohydrates on the bugs' surface. The vaccine quickly generated antibodies in rabbits.

The presence of the antibodies to the bug could also help detect the presence of the bacteria, researchers said.

According to Monteiro, the vaccine could take more than 10 years to move from the developmental stages to clinical trials, and many more years to be actually used in children with the condition.

"But this is a significant first step in the design of a multivalent vaccine against several autism-related gut bacteria," he said in a news release.  

"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 added.

The study is published in the journal Vaccine.