Measles isn’t just dangerous – it may erase your immune system: INSAGO/Shutterstock Blindness, pneumonia, severe diarrhoea and even death – measles virus infections, especially in children, can have devastating consequences. Fortunately, we have a safe and effective defence. Measles vaccines are estimated to have averted more than 60 million deaths between 2000 and 2023. Yet …
Multiple sclerosis: blood test that tracks immune response could be first step in developing better treatments: 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. angellodeco/ Shutterstock An estimated 2.8 million people worldwide have multiple sclerosis (MS). …
Is it a cold, flu or hay fever? How to tell symptoms apart – and boost your immune system: Many hay fever and cold symptoms in particular overlap. Dragana Gordic/ Shutterstock As the crisp autumn air sets in and leaves turn to shades of red and gold, many of us eagerly anticipate the seasonal delights …
How biological differences between men and women alter immune responses – and affect women’s health: Fida Olga/Shutterstock Most people will have heard the term “man flu”, which refers to men’s perceived tendency to exaggerate the severity of a cold or a similar minor ailment. What most people may not know is that, generally speaking, women …
Endometriosis: how the condition may be linked to the immune system: Endometriosis can cause a range of painful symptoms. Lightspring/ Shutterstock Endometriosis is a debilitating condition which affects 10% of women worldwide. The condition can have a serious affect on a person’s quality of life, often causing a range of symptoms including chronic pain, fatigue …
Does COVID really damage your immune system and make you more vulnerable to infections? The evidence is lacking: The northern hemisphere has seen a surge in winter viruses. Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock Over the past month or two, many northern hemisphere countries including the US and the UK have seen a large wave of respiratory viral infections. …
Colds, flu and COVID: how diet and lifestyle can boost your immune system: Most of us are eager to avoid getting sick this time of year. baranq/ Shutterstock Every day we are exposed to a wide array of potentially harmful microorganisms – such as colds, the flu and even COVID. But our immune system – …
Probiotics regulate our immune system and could help fight off COVID – new research: Jasni/Shutterstock You’ve probably heard of probiotics – the “good bacteria” that can benefit our health. We consume them in an expanding variety of ways, often in foods marketed as being healthy. These bacteria can be contained in supplement capsules, yogurts, drinks …
South Africa in the news: expert reaction to preprint of lab study from South Africa looking at omicron and extent of Pfizer vaccine immune escape: December 8, 2021 expert reaction to preprint of lab study from South Africa looking at omicron and extent of Pfizer vaccine immune escape . A preprint, an unpublished non-peer rev …
Your immune system is as unique as your fingerprint – new study: Christoph Burgstedt/Shutterstock Every person appears to have a unique immune system. My colleagues and I discovered this immune diversity after charting antibodies in the blood from healthy and sick people. The discovery could help explain why, for example, COVID vaccines appear to be …
South Africa in the news: IMMUNE RESPONSE TO COVID: New Covid variant could be more infectious, finds study 30 Aug, 2021, 07.04 PM IST. The new variant was first found in South Africa in May, scientists from National Institute for …: “South Africa” – BingNews Efforts grow to stamp out use of parasite drug for …
How will COVID vaccines work on compromised immune systems? Here’s what we know: Yuganov Konstantin/Shutterstock In many cases, vulnerability to COVID-19 exists because a person’s immune system is unable to mount a good response against the coronavirus. Such people are said to be immunocompromised. It’s possible that these people won’t respond as well to COVID-19 …
How well your immune system works can depend on the time of day: Our body clock has evolved over millions of years to help us survive. kanyanat wongsa/ Shutterstock When microorganisms – such as bacteria or viruses – infect us, our immune system jumps into action. It’s highly trained to sense and eliminate infections and …
South Africa in the news: CureVac-GSK coronavirus variant vaccine generates good immune response in rats: A second-generation COVID-19 vaccine developed by CureVac and GlaxoSmithKline, designed to protect against coronavirus variants, produced a high level of immune response in a trial in rats, the …: “South Africa” – BingNews Owen Lane and Rhys Lawrence banned for …
Immune response might be more about signalling to others that you need help and less about protecting your body: Rido/Shutterstock A major debate during the pandemic, and in infectious disease research more broadly, is why infected people die. No virus “wants” to kill anyone, as an epidemiologist once said to me. Like any other form …
How our immune system helps us fight antibiotic resistance: Christoph Burgstedt/ Shutterstock While our immune system and antibiotics both do a great job of helping us fight life-threatening infections, the emergence of antibiotic resistance is quickly making it more difficult to cure common infections that were once easily treated. Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria evolve …
South Africa in the news: Hidden immune cells WILL protect against Covid variants, study reveals: HIDDEN immune cells will protect against new Covid variants, scientists say. Research suggests that while some immune cells weaken against new strains, others remain potent and will protect …: “South Africa” – BingNews Archbishop of Canterbury warns ‘cancel culture’ could …
South Africa in the news: California’s new COVID-19 strain reduces immune response: In response, the Centers for Disease Control has labeled the California strain a “variant of concern,” joining a designation shared by strains first identified in Great Britain, South Africa and …: “South Africa” – BingNews SA is united in grief with Tanzania – …