WBCS In Birds Restricts Growth Of Fatal Infections: New Study

Overview

• Post By : Kumar Jeetendra


• Source: University of Sheffield


• Date: 18 Feb,2016

Researcher from University of Sheffield recently suggests white blood cells in birds helps in restriction of growth of fatal fungal infections which in helps in human for deadly diseases like “Bird Flu”

Type of fungi named Cryptococcus neoformans generally cause infections with weak immunity and this is one of well known infection caused in patients having AIDS with high mortality rate worldwide and the infection are known to be acquired from birds and this was long term mystery that how birds could not bear this infection? Now research opens this mysterious though and suggests that a type of special White Blood Cells in birds completely restricts the growth of Cryptococcus neoformans fungi.

Scientists found that the fungus grow in digestive tract of birds and when fungi try to invade infection then bird’s immune system immediately destroy the fungus so it helps birds to spread the infection fast.

According to Scientist, Dr Johnston

"By studying bird cells under the microscope, we have seen that macrophage cells have the ability to completely block the growth of the fungus, which can be fatal in humans.

"Understanding where the disease comes from and how it spreads is critical. If we can learn how some animals are able to resist infection we might be able to gain insights into how we can improve the human immune response to this fungus."

The study published in Nature Scientific Reports.

Story Source: University of Sheffield

Note: The above story is for information purpose only for more information go through story source.

Journal references

Simon A. Johnston, Kerstin Voelz, Robin C. May. Cryptococcus neoformans Thermo tolerance to Avian Body Temperature Is Sufficient for Extracellular Growth but Not Intracellular Survival in Macrophages. Scientific Reports, 2016; 6: 20977 DOI: 10.1038/srep2097