Study links autism to intestinal virus

Philadelphia Daily News Reports:

AUSTIN, Texas – A maverick British scientist who now works in Austin has completed a study on autism that links the disease to a novel intestinal illness.

The research, to appear in the Journal of Clinical Immunology due out today, opens the door to testing treatments for some autistic children, including a diet that forbids dairy products and certain grains.
Dr. Andy Wakefield, whose earlier work caused a furor by suggesting an association between a common childhood vaccine and autism, said he considers the latest research ground-breaking.

The study by Wakefield and three collaborators identifies a new inflammatory intestinal disease in some children who appear normal but regress into autism, and suggests the intestinal disease is viral.