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Allergy and immunology news

Breast milk protein osteopontin may shield infants from respiratory infections

QIMR Berghofer researchers have found how breast milk supports infant immunity via a protein called osteopontin. The study also identifies a potential way of mimicking this protective effect in baby formula. The findings, ...

Lupus-linked immune misdirection could leave patients vulnerable to staph infections

Microbiology researchers from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, have discovered why patients with the autoimmune disease lupus are susceptible to serious bacterial infections. Their new study published in Cell Press ...

Leaky gut might make food allergies worse

A "leaky gut" might increase the severity of food allergies, according to new research conducted in mice and published in The Journal of Immunology. The researchers found that changes to the gut microbiome in mice were linked ...

Long COVID and immune 'soldier' cells: Q&A

Extreme fatigue, a racing pulse, shortness of breath, brain fog, aching joints—the symptoms of long COVID can vary widely, change unpredictably and be difficult to recognize as signs of the condition. Long COVID also remains ...

The ABCs of back-to-school allergy management

Being ready for the school year means more than gathering clothes and supplies—it also means adequately preparing your child and school staff to deal with your child's allergies and asthma. It is important to take the necessary ...

Long non-coding RNA emerges as a 'kill switch' for macrophages

Macrophages are considered the "scavenger cells" of the immune system, but some pathogens exploit these very cells as hiding places. Researchers from the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) in Würzburg ...

Blood vessels guide immune cells to metastases

It has long been suspected that endothelial cells, the specialized cells lining the inner walls of blood vessels, play a key role in determining how the body's immune system responds to tumors. Researchers at the German Cancer ...

Study sheds light on a misunderstood childhood food allergy

A few hours after eating, an infant may suddenly experience a severe reaction that leaves his or her parents searching for answers. Such episodes may be caused by food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), a condition ...

Herpes immune response linked to Alzheimer's disease

New research has demonstrated a mechanistic link between the immune response to herpesviruses—the family of viruses related to cold sores, childhood infections and mononucleosis—and an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. ...