Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
AFRICAN HEALTH SCIENCES, cilt.23, sa.4, ss.230-235, 2023 (SCI-Expanded)
Objective: Due to the high increase in rate of autism, it has gained great importance to determine the etiology of autism spec-trum disorder. The purpose of our study was to assess the role of Candida albicans as a risk factor to cause autism behavior. Methods: We searched Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science and PsycINFO for articles up to December, 2021. The studies in-volving children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder were included. Children' outcomes were selected as Candida albicans (positive) and Candida albicans (negative). Odds ratios were reported using fixed-effect and random-effect meta-analysis. The heterogeneity was assessed by the Chi-square test and Higgins' I2 test. The publication bias was examined via funnel plot and Heggers' test. Results: Our meta-analysis was conducted based on 254 diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disease cases and 161 healthy cas-es from 4 studies. Compared to the healthy cases, the odds of presence of Candida albicans (OR=7.21; 95% CI: 3.75-13.85; p<0.001) were higher in those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Conclusion: This study as a whole showed that children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder have higher frequency of the presence of the fungus Candida albicans. Therefore, Candida albicans may be an etiological factor for the autistic behavior in children.