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Controversy about the existence of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with group A streptococcal infection (PANDAS) is based on equivocal evidence from studies of molecular mimicry (antibodies to streptococcus that interact with basal ganglia), response of psychopathology to antibiotic treatment, and the relationship between recurring infections and onset of symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This population-level study used Danish registries for all births between 1996 and 2013 (approximately 1.1 million children); follow-up lasted ≤17 years.
Analyses controlled for socioeconomic status, parental mental disorders, and personal or parental autoimmune disorders. Children with a positive streptococcal test…