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Fungi: Friend or Foe? A Mycobiome Evaluation in Children With Autism and Gastrointestinal Symptoms

Jane Alookaran1, Yuying Liu1, Thomas A Auchtung2

  • 1Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX.

Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|November 1, 2021
PubMed

Insights

This study found that the presence of fungi, including Candida species, in the gut of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not significantly different from typically developing children and does not correlate with gastrointestinal symptoms.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

  • Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and are linked to alterations in the gut microbiome.
  • Limited research suggests a potential increase in Candida species in children with ASD, but evidence remains scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and abundance of fecal fungi, specifically Candida species, in children with ASD and GI symptoms compared to those with ASD but no GI symptoms and typically developing children.
  • To explore the association between fecal mycobiome composition, GI symptoms, behavioral symptoms, and markers of gut inflammation and fungal immunity in children with ASD.

Main Methods:

  • Fecal samples from children with ASD and GI symptoms (ASD + GI), ASD without GI symptoms (ASD - GI), and typically developing (TD) children were analyzed for fungal taxa using Internal Transcribed Spacer sequencing.
  • Evaluated GI symptom severity (GSI), behavioral symptoms (SRS-2), fecal calprotectin (inflammation marker), and serum dectin-1 (fungal immunity marker) via ELISA.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences were observed in the overall abundance of fungal species (alpha diversity) across the three groups.
  • Candida species were detected in 21% of ASD + GI, 56% of ASD - GI, and 25% of TD children, with no statistically significant difference between groups.
  • The presence of Candida species did not correlate with GI or behavioral symptoms, nor with fecal calprotectin or serum dectin-1 levels, indicating no increased fungal presence or immunity associated with ASD.

Conclusions:

  • Fungal presence in the stool of children with ASD appears to be at normal levels and is not associated with GI symptoms or gut inflammation.
  • These findings suggest that Candida overgrowth is unlikely to be a primary driver of GI issues in children with ASD.

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