Asperger syndrome is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Asperger syndrome, or a subtype of Asperger syndrome, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Ophanet, who are a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when if affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Asperger syndrome as a "rare disease". More information about Asperger syndrome is available from Orphanet
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The causes of autistic disorder remain unclear but are thought to include psychological, physiologic, and sociological factors. Much evidence has accumulated to suggest a biological substrate. The parents of a child who’s autistic may appear distant and unaffectionate. However, because children who are autistic are unresponsive or respond with rigid, screaming resistance to touch and attention, parental remoteness may be merely a frustrated, helpless reaction to this disorder, not its cause.
Some children who are autistic show abnormal but nonspecific EEG findings that suggest brain dysfunction, possibly resulting from trauma, disease, or a structural abnormality. Autistic disorder has also been associated with maternal rubella, untreated phenylketonuria, tuberous sclerosis, anoxia during birth, encephalitis, infantile spasms, and fragile X syndrome. Studies have established a link with abnormalities in neurotransmitters, including (in some cases) increased dopamine and increased serotonin. There appears to be a genetic component as well; between 2% and 4% of siblings of those with autism also had autistic disorders at a rate higher than the general population.
Autistic disorder is rare, affecting 4 to 5 children per 10,000 births. It affects three to four times more boys than girls.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
The term 'prevalence' of Asperger syndrome usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Asperger syndrome at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Asperger syndrome refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Asperger syndrome diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.
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