The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7184 p161-167
9 February 2002

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Molecular Pathology (www.molpath.com)

Research into measles virus link to gut abnormalities does not implicate MMR

A study reporting a link between the measles virus and gut abnormalities in children with autism (developmental disorder) has been posted on the Molecular Pathology website (www.molpath.com).

The study and its accompanying editorial were due to appear in the April issue of Molecular Pathology but have been made available early after the findings were discussed on a BBC Panorama programme devoted to safety concerns surrounding MMR this week. An author of the study has emphasised that the findings do not implicate the triple measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

The study suggests that the measles virus may link a new form of inflammatory bowel disease with developmental disorder. The authors conclude that the virus might act as an immunological trigger.

Ileal lymphoid tissues from 91 children affected with the variant form of bowel disease were compared with tissue from 70 matched controls. Measles virus was present in the tissue of 75 of the 91 affected children and in five of the 70 controls.

The researchers did not look at whether the children had been vaccinated with MMR and the authors of an accompanying editorial warn: "It would be entirely wrong to jump to the conclusion that the measles component of MMR causes the colitis or the developmental disorder in these particular (or any other) children." They add that the data could equally be interpreted as indicating that the colitis or the developmental disorder cause the measles virus to persist.

In a statement issued on 5 February, Professor John O'Leary, molecular pathologist, Coombe Women's Hospital, Dublin, and lead author of the study, said: "I stand by the findings of our research, which raises many questions about whether measles virus has a role in bowel inflammation in developmental disorder. But the research did not set out to investigate the role of MMR in development of either bowel disease or developmental disorder, and no conclusions about such a role could, or should, be drawn from our findings."

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