_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: E-mail: marwa.meheissen@alexmed.edu.eg; Microbiology Research Journal International 18(5): 1-10, 2017; Article no.MRJI.32117 Previously known as British Microbiology Research Journal ISSN: 2231-0886, NLM ID: 101608140 SCIENCEDOMAIN international www.sciencedomain.org Study of Candida Species in Stool of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Alexandria, Egypt Shwikar Abdel Salam Ahmed 1 , Marwa Ahmed Meheissen 1* , Hanan Galal Azouz 2 , Mona Hamdy Ashry 3 , Yara Safwat Roshdy 1 , Hala Abdelaty Gad 2 and Ahmed Elsayed Ibrahim 4 1 Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Egypt. 2 Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Egypt. 3 Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Egypt. 4 Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Egypt. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration between all authors. Author SASA designed the study protocol. Author MAM, the corresponding author performed the laboratory work and wrote the manuscript. Author HGA provided the clinical data of the patients. Author MHA managed the statistical analyses of the data. Author YSR assisted in the laboratory work. Author HAG collected the samples. Author AEI managed the literature searches. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/MRJI/2017/32117 Editor(s): (1) Akikazu Sakudo, University of the Ryukyus, Japan. Reviewers: (1) Eliton da Silva Vasconcelos, Federal University of São Carlos – UFSCar, Brazil. (2) Gabor Ternak, University of Pecs, School of Medicine, Hungary. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sciencedomain.org/review-history/17962 Received 9 th February 2017 Accepted 19 th February 2017 Published 25 th February 2017 ABSTRACT Background and Aims: The pathogenesis of Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is still controversial. The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence and to identify the species and the antimicrobial sensitivity of Candida present in stool of autistic children. Subjects and Methods: A total of 50 children with ASD, 36 siblings controls (brother or sister) and 50 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Stool samples were subjected to examination and culture on Sabouraud dextrose (SDA) and Brilliance Candida selective agars (BCA) (Oxoid, UK) Original Research Article