Health
Autism risk could rise with air pollution, new study suggests
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental disorders could be triggered by air pollution, including the type emitted in car exhaust, a new study suggested — though it had some limitations.
The review, led by Hebrew University of Jerusalem, analyzed multiple studies related to autism and cellular activity. The findings were published in the journal Brain Medicine.
The researchers focused on four specific types of particles that make up air pollution: fine particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O3).
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They also investigated four different ways in which these particles could impact the fetus.
Those four ways were neuroinflammation, oxidative/nitrosative stress (an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants that causes cell damage), epigenetic modifications (chemical changes to DNA) and disruptions to certain neurotransmitters, according to the study.
Lead study author Haitham Amal, PhD (center) is an associate professor at The School of Pharmacy at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is pictured with his research team. (Igor Fabrov)
“Increasing air pollution may significantly raise the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly ASD, due to gene-environment interactions,” lead study author Haitham Amal, PhD, an associate professor at The School of Pharmacy at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, told Fox News Digital.
“Key air pollutants — such as fine particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and ozone — are implicated in triggering harmful processes in the brain, including neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and neurotransmitter imbalances,” he added.
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The risk is highest during times of accelerated development, such as prenatal and early childhood periods, according to Amal, who is also a visiting professor at Boston Children’s Hospital within Harvard Medical School.
“The brain starts developing at birth and continues to develop until the mid 20s,” Georges Ghacibeh, M.D., a neurologist at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, told Fox News Digital. He was not involved in the study.
The risk is highest during times of accelerated development, such as prenatal and early childhood periods, the researcher said. (iStock)
“During the early years, from conception until about age 5, the brain undergoes the most changes and therefore is more susceptible to the impact of external factors,” added Ghacibeh.
In a previous study published in 2023, the same research team found that nitric oxide (NO), which is one of the particles in air pollution, is a “key pathological factor in autism,” Amal noted.
The brain is most susceptible to external factors from conception until age 5, experts say.
Ghacibeh agreed that air pollution could increase autism risk.
“Chemicals inhaled by a pregnant mother or a young child, if they enter the bloodstream and make it to the brain of the fetus or developing child, can affect various metabolic pathways, either by interfering directly with certain chemical reactions inside the cells, or by reducing the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain,” he told Fox News Digital.
In the U.S., autism affects one in 36 children, or about 2.3%, as of 2024, according to statistics from the CDC. (iStock)
This can interrupt the process of normal brain development, according to the doctor, causing brain cells to lose their normal function.
“The mechanism would be similar to the effect of certain medications ingested during pregnancy that can lead to developmental delay or autism in the child,” Ghacibeh said.
Study doesn’t prove cause
Amal acknowledged that the study had some limitations.
“The data is based on epidemiological studies,” he said. “Extensive experiments in our labs should be done to validate and prove this connection.”
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Ghacibeh agreed, noting that epidemiological studies prove association but not causality.
“In other words, if two phenomena occur simultaneously, such as high levels of air pollution and a rise in autism, this does not necessarily prove that one caused the other — it just means that both phenomena occurred at the same time. It is possible that additional, unknown factors might have played a role as well,” he said.
Air pollution affects approximately 131.2 million people, or 39% of the U.S., as noted in the 2024 American Lung Association’s State of the Air report. (iStock)
Future research should aim to better understand pollution’s effects on “genetically susceptible individuals” and to find ways to protect those at greatest risk, according to Amal.
“This knowledge could inform public health policies aimed at minimizing ASD risk from environmental pollutants,” he added.
In the U.S., autism affects one in 36 children, or about 2.3%, as of 2024, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This is an increase from one in 44 children two years ago.
“Chemicals inhaled by a pregnant mother or a young child, if they enter the bloodstream and make it to the brain of the fetus or developing child, can affect various metabolic pathways,” an expert warned. (iStock)
Air pollution is also on the rise, affecting approximately 131.2 million people, or 39% of the U.S., as noted in the 2024 American Lung Association’s State of the Air report.
This is an increase of 11.7 million people from 2023.
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Living in areas with lower pollution levels — away from factories or airports, for example — could help to prevent potentially harmful effects of air pollution, Ghacibeh said.
“Increasing air pollution may significantly raise the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly ASD, due to gene-environment interactions,” the study researcher said. (iStock)
“Using good air filters, especially when you live in a higher-pollution environment, also helps mitigate those risks,” he added.
Good nutrition and limited exposure to smoking, alcohol and drugs also helps to promote optimal brain development and neurological health, according to Ghacibeh.
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The study was funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the Eagles Autism Foundation, which raises funds for innovative research and care programs, according to its website, along with others.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Autism Foundation, Autism Spectrum Disorder Foundation and Autism Society for comment on the study.
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A deadly, drug-resistant fungus already spreading rapidly through U.S. hospitals is becoming even more threatening worldwide, though there may be hope for new treatments, according to a new scientific review.
Candida auris (C. auris), often described as a “superbug fungus,” is spreading globally and increasingly resisting human immune systems, Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) researchers said in a review published in early December.
The findings reinforce prior CDC warnings that have labeled C. auris an “urgent antimicrobial threat” — the first fungal pathogen to receive that designation — as U.S. cases have surged, particularly in hospitals and long-term care centers.
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Approximately 7,000 cases were identified across dozens of U.S. states in 2025, according to the CDC, and it has reportedly been identified in at least 60 countries.
Candida auris is a drug-resistant fungus spreading in hospitals worldwide. (Nicolas Armer/Picture Alliance via Getty Images)
The review, published in Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, helps explain why the pathogen is so difficult to contain and warns that outdated diagnostics and limited treatments lag behind. It was conducted by Dr. Neeraj Chauhan of the Hackensack Meridian CDI in New Jersey, Dr. Anuradha Chowdhary of the University of Delhi’s Medical Mycology Unit and Dr. Michail Lionakis, chief of the clinical mycology program at the National Institutes of Health.
Their findings stress the need to develop “novel antifungal agents with broad-spectrum activity against human fungal pathogens, to improve diagnostic tests and to develop immune- and vaccine-based adjunct modalities for the treatment of high-risk patients,” the researchers said in a statement.
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“In addition, future efforts should focus on raising awareness about fungal disease through developing better surveillance mechanisms, especially in resource-poor countries,” they added. “All these developments should help improve the outcomes and prognosis of patients afflicted by opportunistic fungal infections.”
Candida auris can survive on skin and hospital surfaces, allowing it to spread easily. (iStock)
First identified in 2009 from a patient’s ear sample in Japan, C. auris has since spread to dozens of countries, including the U.S., where outbreaks have forced some hospital intensive care units to shut down, according to the researchers.
The fungus poses the greatest risk to people who are already critically ill, particularly those on ventilators or with weakened immune systems. Once infected, about half of patients may die, according to some estimates.
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Unlike many other fungi, C. auris can survive on human skin and cling to hospital surfaces and medical equipment, allowing it to spread easily in healthcare settings.
“It is resistant to multiple antifungal drugs, and it tends to spread in hospital settings, including on equipment being used on immunocompromised and semi-immunocompromised patients, such as ventilators and catheters,” Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone, previously told Fox News Digital.
Scientists say the unique cell wall structure of C. auris makes it harder to kill. (iStock)
It is also frequently misdiagnosed, delaying treatment and infection control measures.
“Unfortunately, symptoms such as fever, chills and aches may be ubiquitous, and it can be mistaken for other infections,” Siegel said.
In September, he said intense research was ongoing to develop new treatments.
Only four major classes of antifungal drugs are currently available, and C. auris has already shown resistance to many of them. While three new antifungal drugs have been approved or are in late-stage trials, researchers warn that drug development has struggled to keep pace with the fungus’s evolution.
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Despite the sobering findings, there is still room for cautious optimism.
The fungus can cling to skin and hospital surfaces, aiding its spread. (iStock)
In separate research published in December, scientists at the University of Exeter in England discovered a potential weakness in C. auris while studying the fungus in a living-host model.
The team found that, during infection, the fungus activates specific genes to scavenge iron, a nutrient it needs to survive, according to their paper, published in the Nature portfolio journal Communications Biology in December.
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Because iron is essential for the pathogen, researchers believe drugs that block this process could eventually stop infections or even allow existing medications to be repurposed.
“We think our research may have revealed an Achilles’ heel in this lethal pathogen during active infection,” Dr. Hugh Gifford, a clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter and co-author of the study, said in a statement.
New research is underway to develop better treatments and diagnostics for C. auris. (iStock)
As researchers race to better understand the fungus, officials warn that strict infection control, rapid detection and continued investment in new treatments remain critical.
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Health experts emphasize that C. auris is not a threat to healthy people.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the CDI researchers and additional experts for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Angelica Stabile contributed reporting.
New flu strain emerging as a severe health threat
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel joins ‘America’s Newsroom’ to warn of a new strain of the flu that is spiking hospitalizations across the country and newfound risks of medical marijuana’s link to psychosis.
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The New York State Department of Health reported a record surge in influenza activity, with 71,123 positive flu cases recorded statewide during the week ending December 20.
Health officials said the figure represents the highest number of flu cases ever reported in a single week since influenza became a reportable disease in New York in 2004.
State health data show the weekly total reflects a 38% increase from the previous reporting period, signaling a rapidly intensifying flu season.
There have been 189,312 reported positive flu cases so far this season, while influenza-related hospitalizations rose 63% in the most recent week.
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New York reported the highest weekly total of cases ever recorded since influenza became reportable in 2004. (iStock)
“We are seeing the highest number of flu cases ever recorded in a single week in New York state,” Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in a press release.
There have been 189,312 reported flu cases so far this season, with influenza-related hospitalizations increasing 63% in the most recent week. (iStock)
Earlier this month, the department declared influenza prevalent statewide, a designation that requires unvaccinated health care workers to wear masks in patient care settings.
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Health officials continue to emphasize that vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent severe illness and hospitalization from influenza.
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New Yorkers who have not yet received a seasonal flu shot are still encouraged to do so, with experts saying vaccination can offer protection even later in the season.
Health officials continue to urge New Yorkers to take preventive steps, including vaccination and staying home when sick, to limit further spread. (iStock)
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To help limit further spread, the department advises individuals experiencing flu-like symptoms — including fever, cough, sore throat, or body aches — to stay home. State health officials also recommend frequent handwashing, using hand sanitizer, and avoiding close contact with sick individuals.
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For those who become ill, officials say antiviral medications are available and are most effective when started within 48 hours of symptom onset.
Health officials also added that people at higher risk for complications should contact a health care provider promptly for evaluation and possible treatment.
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The department noted that flu activity typically peaks in January, meaning case counts could continue to climb in the weeks ahead.
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