‘Hit and Run’ Teratogenesis, with Specific Regards to Autism

In recent decades a process known as ‘hit and run' oncogenesis has emerged. The principle is that a virus infects a person and is able to cause genetic mutations leading in a step-wise fashion towards cancer production, but by the time the cancer is detectable, the viral infection is gone. This paper proposes a similar process as an explanation for a certain teratogenic process, linking cellular changes instigated by various viruses to those of autism.