title: State of the art; microbiology in health and disease. Intestinal bacterial flora in autism.
abstract: Autism of the regressive variety is selected as an example of the importance of intestinal bacterial microflora in disease other than classical infection. Our studies have indicated that intestinal bacteria play a role in this disease since it responds to oral vancomycin, a drug that is not absorbed from the GI tract. Pyrosequencing studies document an abnormal gut microflora in regressive autism subjects as compared to controls. Finally, we present preliminary evidence suggesting that Desulfovibrio may play a key role in this disease.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Administration Medical Center, Infectious Diseases Section (111F), Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA. sidfinegol@aol.com
authors.forename: Sydney M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Finegold
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D058448:Biota; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014640:Vancomycin