Gastrointestinal disturbance is frequently reported for individuals with autism. We used quantitative real-time PCR analysis to quantify fecal bacteria that could influence gastrointestinal health in children with and without autism. Lower relative abundances of Bifidobacteria species and the mucolytic bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila were found in children with autism, the latter suggesting mucus barrier changes.Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder where gastrointestinal (GI) disturbance is commonly reported (11). Evidence is emerging that the profiles of the GI microbiota (8,9,16,22) and fermentation products (2, 28) in individuals with ASD are different from those of the general population. Finegold et al. (9) have reported a relationship between regressive autism and altered GI microbiota. Indeed, the modulation of intestinal microbiota in children with ASD through the use of antibiotics (19) and probiotics such as Lactobacillus plantarum WCSF1 (17) has been shown to improve behavior and bowel health outcomes. In this study, various GI bacteria, including Clostridium spp., members of the Bacteroides fragilis group, Akkermansia muciniphila, and Prevotella species, which are emerging as important markers of GI health, were examined in children with ASD, their siblings, and community controls. We also investigated whether correlations exist between GI microbial abundances and the presence or absence of caregiver-reported functional GI disorders (FGIDs) in children with ASD.The inclusion criteria for participants were as previously described (26). Briefly, fecal samples were collected from children with ASD (n ϭ 23), recruited through Autism SA, who were diagnosed by a multidisciplinary team using the childhood autism rating scale (20) and/or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) (3). The ASD participants were diagnosed with autistic disorder (n ϭ 17) and Asperger's syndrome (n ϭ 6), and all but three participants were reported to have a regressive form of autism. Children who met the criteria for ASD but presented with a comorbid diagnosis of a chromosomal abnormality were excluded from the study. We also recruited 22 typically developing siblings (SIB) of the ASD cohort as well as 9 unrelated community controls (CON) without a family history of autism as two different control groups. The CON participants were eligible to participate if they did not have a sibling or first cousin with ASD. Participants' caregivers were required to complete a functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) questionnaire (21) and a questionnaire that investigated medication use.Fresh fecal specimens were collected from participants over a 48-h period to exclude day-to-day variability. Each bowel movement was collected in a separate bag and frozen immediately in a portable freezer and stored at Ϫ20°C. Specimens were transported to the laboratory in freezers and stored at Ϫ80°C until they were processed. Specimens were defrosted at room temperature, and all processing was...

BackgroundA recent report indicated that numbers of Sutterella spp. are elevated in gastrointestinal biopsies taken from children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We have recently reported changes in the numbers of some bacteria within the stool of ASD children, and now examine whether numbers of Sutterella spp. and some other mucosa-associated bacteria linked with gastrointestinal disease (Ruminococcus gnavus and Ruminococcus torques) are also altered in the stool of these children.FindingsWe show that numbers of Sutterella spp. are elevated in feces of ASD children relative to controls, and that numbers of R. torques are higher in the children with ASD with a reported functional gastrointestinal disorder than those without such a disorder.ConclusionsWe show further evidence of changes in the gut microbiota of children with ASD and confirm that the abundance of Sutterella spp. is altered in stool.

Our results suggest fermentation processes or utilization of fermentation products may be altered in children with ASD compared to children without ASD.

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