On October 12, 2009 an article appeared in the Huffington Post looking at a possible connection between a semi-known virus and some individuals with autism.
This retrovirus, XMRV, has been linked to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Antibodies have been found in 95% of patients with chronic fatigue. When a small (its unknown how small, but it is assumed not to be sufficient for truly reliable data) sample of individuals with autism were tested for evidence of XMRV, 40% tested positive.
What the articles seems to move towards is using this information as a possible explanation for individuals that regress with vaccines. Like many neurobiological disorders, it looks like this retrovirus may function as a trigger. Triggers can turn on and off, so having the retrovirus does not mean you will have autism, but there could be a connection.
Although the information is fascinating, more research must be done before any conclusions can be drawn. Even if a correlation is made, we must remember that correlation does not equal causation! Yet one more little piece of information in the giant puzzle of autism.
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