Why West Nile virus is more dangerous in the elderly
Thursday, July 23, 2015 - 18:30
in Health & Medicine
West Nile virus (WNV) is particularly dangerous in older people, who account for a large number of severe cases and deaths caused by the virus. WNV infection turns serious when the virus crosses the blood-brain-barrier and wreaks havoc among nerve cells in the brain. A new study suggests that several critical components of the early immune response to the virus are impaired in elderly individuals, and that this can explain their vulnerability.