A special group of people appear to have genes that protect them from the worst effects of Alzheimer’s disease.
Our blood test showed that in people with MS, their immune response to EBV was higher than it was in people who weren’t diagnosed with the condition.
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The gut microbiome and immune system work closely together. However, as people age, the composition and balance of microorganisms in the gut changes, with fewer beneficial bacteria.
Ginger is one of the spices that can be contaminated by mycotoxins.
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Fibre isn’t just associated with colon health; it’s associated with overall health and brain health through the gut-brain axis. But not all fibres are created equal.
Your immune system is often able to fend off pathogens it’s never seen before. But defending your body against all of them all at once is a tough challenge.
The current treatments for inflammatory bowel disease do not work for everyone. Tapping into new areas of biology may be the key to developing new therapies.
Surface proteins on a virus enable it to attach to and get inside a cell to start replicating.
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Viruses can get into cells in several ways. Figuring out how to stop them from entering in the first place is a key to developing better vaccines and stopping future pandemics.
When immune cells become overactive, your immune system itself can cause disease.
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Dietary supplements claim to be able to ‘boost your immune system’ to combat disease. But attaining immune balance through a healthy lifestyle and vaccination is a safer bet to keep in good health.
Use a tissue and wash your hands after a booger explosion.
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Itch-sensing neurons in your skin are intertwined with your immune cells. Counterintuitively, the molecule that connects them triggers responses that both worsen and improve skin conditions.
Blocking viruses from replicating their RNA is one way antivirals work.
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The human body has been making antivirals for eons, long before scientists did. A protein in your cells called viperin produces molecules that work similarly to the COVID-19 antiviral remdesivir.
The black-legged tick is the vector that spreads Lyme disease. Its bite can infect humans with the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium.
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The bacterium that causes Lyme disease is a master of disguise, changing its appearance to evade the immune system as it moves from the ticks that carry it to humans or animals.
Being feverish is unpleasant, but it can help your body overcome invading pathogens.
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The heat and chills that come with fever are not only uncomfortable but also metabolically costly. Increased body temperature, however, can make all the difference when you’re sick.
Women are more likely to develop chronic diseases driven by the immune system.
The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. This fungus can cause a number of disorders in people with compromised immune function or other lung diseases.
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Africa is suffering from a silent, but costly, epidemic of fungal infections.
Addressing the increased risks of certain diseases among those with Down syndrome could help improve their quality of life.
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Joaquin Espinosa, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
People with Down syndrome have an extra chromosome 21. Understanding the effects of those triplicated genes could help improve the health of those with Down syndrome and other medical conditions.
Director, Children’s Health and Environment Program and World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Children’s Health and Environment, The University of Queensland