Prevalence of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and 2 Antibodies in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract The etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is unknown, even though it is hypothesized that a viral infection could trigger this disorder. The aim of this study was to evaluate the seropositivity rate and antibody level of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV1) and Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV2) in children with ASD compared to same-aged healthy controls. We compared seropositivity rate and levels of antibodies to HSV1/2 in 54 children with ASD (19 with autistic disorder and 35 with non-autistic ASD) and in 46 controls. Seropositivity rate and levels of anti-HSV1/2 were not dissimilar between cases and controls. Exposure to HSV2 was minimal. Rate of contact with HSV1 and HSV2 assessed by the mean of detection of specific antibodies was similar between children with ASD and healthy controls.