Stopping the Stomach Flu
2008-07-25 05:34:47.0
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(Ivanhoe Newswire) – Researchers could be close to discovering a treatment for the common "stomach flu" thanks to an immune sensor that detects stomach viruses in the body.
Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., identified MDA-5, a protein that "revs up" the body's immune system to fight off infection. The stomach flu -- not actually a flu at all, but rather a virus called norovirus -- is detected primarily by MDA-5. A second protein sensor called TLR3 could also help add to the body of knowledge surrounding norovirus and help researchers develop treatments and even more effective prevention methods for the condition.
Researchers say some people have common MDA-5 mutations that may make them more susceptible to infection and the subsequent unpleasant side effects. Norovirus infections are most common in locations where people live in close contact, such as on cruise ships, military bases, nursing homes and schools.
SOURCE: PLoS Pathogens, published online July 18, 2008
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