Possible cause of immune deficiency cases in Asia
Thursday, August 23, 2012 - 11:32
in Health & Medicine
A clinical study has identified an antibody that compromises the immune systems of HIV-negative people, making them susceptible to infections with opportunistic microbes such as nontuberculous mycobacteria. In this study conducted at hospitals in Thailand and Taiwan, the researchers found that the majority of study participants with opportunistic infections made an antibody against interferon-gamma, a cell-signaling molecule thought to play a major role in clearing harmful infections.