Why does COVID-19 hit men harder than women? Is the disparity in mortality rates due to male hormones or an underlying difference in the male versus female immune system?
It’s not yet clear whether antibodies in the blood of patients who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 indicate immunity. Above: blood specimens for COVID-19 antibody tests.
(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
We blame the coronavirus for the thousands of deaths, but it is actually a hyperactive immune reaction that is the cause of death. An immunologist explains.
A coronavirus vaccine is coming, but when?
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Vaccine development is usually a long process. The coronavirus pandemic is forcing researchers to innovate and test potential vaccines faster than ever before.
A report found that 90% of morbidly obese patients admitted to intensive care needed a ventilator.
Patrik Slezak/ Shutterstock
Cytokines ensure our immune system responds effectively to pathogens in our bodies. But in some cases, cytokines can cause the immune system to over-react.
Some people’s immune systems aren’t able to stop foreign invaders, such as COVID-19, as well as the rest of the population. There are many reasons for this, including illness, medications and age.
Wouldn’t it be nice if getting a vaccine was a simple as putting on a Band-Aid?
UPMC
Different demographics are more or less vulnerable to serious complications from the coronavirus. A virologist explains the aging-related changes in how immune systems work that are to blame.
The use of HIV-positive organs is now a well-established practice in South Africa.
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An anthropologist works in American Samoa, taking advantage of the island’s longstanding tattoo culture to tease out the effects tattoos have on the body’s immune function.
At least 5,000 Australians die each year as a result of sepsis, more commonly known as blood poisoning.
From shutterstock.com
Can your kids be too clean? Increases in allergies suggest so. But how much dirt is too much? A pediatric allergist explains the fascinating reasons the immune system needs dirt for training.
They’re not perfect, but flu shots are still good to get.
AP Photo/David Goldman
The 2018-2019 flu season was less deadly than the last. But the pattern of infection was unusual, thanks to the various strains circulating and the way flu shots work over time.
Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight. Scientists believe flight may influence their immune responses to coronoviruses, which cause fatal diseases such as SARS and MERS in humans.
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Scientific studies show that bats may carry “coronoviruses” causing SARS and MERS - without showing symptoms of disease. Could the bat immune system be key to human survival in future pandemics?
To get an effective vaccine for HIV/AIDS, scientists need to understand exactly how the virus works and immune system responds to it. African scientists have come one step closer.
She must have had a successful pregnancy.
Ryan Snyder
A new evolutionary perspective on what’s been a medical paradox: Why does the body use inflammation to regulate aspects of pregnancy when inflammation is also a big threat to pregnancy?
What can a single person’s flu infection tell you about how the virus changes around the world?
Xue and Bloom
A few cancers vanish without any medical treatment. Researchers are studying these ‘spontaneous regressions’ to see if they can lead to new cancer treatments.
The immune system protects us from the constant onslaught of viruses, bacteria and other types of pathogens we encounter throughout life. But it can sometimes misbehave.