Viral or Bacterial Infection

A growing body of peer-reviewed studies published in mainstream journals has shown that many common diseases of previously unknown origin are caused by the presence of slowly acting viruses. For example, cervical cancer is caused by the human papilloma wart virus; some cases of liver cancer are caused by hepatitis C or B; Schizophrenia may be caused by Borna virus. Paul W. Ewald, among others, argues that the available data on the origin of autism is consistent with it being caused by a virus or infection. Alternatively, it was hypothesized that certain antibiotics rather than an infection may be associated with autism; that is, depending on certain conditions they could be either harmful or helpful.