Overwhelming Evidence Transplacental Transmission of Human Papillomavirus Primarily Causes Autism

Because the concordance rate between identical twins is only 88%, an environmental factor must cause autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Furthermore, when identical twins share ASD, it is to varying degrees suggesting different prenatal environments exist, which occurs when identical twins have separate placentas (~30% of the time). Placental inclusions are predictive of ASD along with excessive increases in extra-axial cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) detected by MRI in the brains of 6- and 12-month-old infants later diagnosed at 2 years with ASD. The human papillomavirus (HPV) can infect the trophoblast cells of placentas and transmit to the fetus where it infects the epithelial cells of the choroid plexus, a centrally located lining inside the brain responsible for producing CSF via the SLC4A10 gene product. HPV causes epigenetic changes, deletions, and duplications of genes, and besides its characteristic methylation patterns, the SLC4A10 gene was found to be increased in children with ASD. Moreover, male placentas implant close to the cervix (low-lying) three times more often than female placentas paralleling the ASD ratio of ~3:1 (boys to girls). Finally, the Australian HPV vaccination programme that began in 2007 might explain why the 0-4 yr. ASD incidence did not increase from 2010 to 2015.

Suspected Down Syndrome in one of non-identical twins in Ile-Ife: A case report

Nigerian women of southwest extraction have the highest rate of dizygotic twinning worldwide, with a reported incidence as high as 49 per 1000 deliveries. Among the risk factors for dizygotic twinning is advanced maternal age, which is also an independent risk factor for Down syndrome (trisomy 21). Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal disorder affecting live born neonates. It occurs very rarely in twins, seen in 14-15 per million non-identical twins. Down syndrome in one of non-identical twins was first reported in Nigeria by Otaigbe in Port Harcourt, in 2007. Herein, we report another case of suspected Down syndrome in one of non-identical twins born to a 41-year-old grand multiparous woman at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun state, Nigeria. Keywords: Down Syndrome; dizygotic; fraternal; dichorionic; diamniotic.

A case of thoraco-omphalopagus conjoined twins with intrauterine death

Conjoined twins or Siamese twins are identical twins that are joined in utero. The original Siamese twins were born in Siam (now Thailand) in 1811. They were males and lived for about 62 years. Incidence being 1 in 49,000 births to 1 in 1,89,000 births, this phenomenon is very rare. Approximate half are stillborn and one- third die within 24 hours of birth. Five types of conjoint twins are classically described, thoracopagus, omphalopagus, pygopagus, ischiopagus and craniopagus. With a reported incidence of 74-75% of all conjoint twins, Thoracopagus is the most common type. Omphalopagus with an incidence of 0.5% is the least common. Here we are reporting a case of thoraco-omphalopagus twin pregnancy with intra uterine death delivered by hysterotomy.