The results of the study open new horizons for the treatment of respiratory infections caused by syncytial virus, one of the main causes of health problems in children
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Researchers from the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto (FMRP) at the University of the South Pacific have discovered signs that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can cause an infection that lasts a long time or even persists in the body. This is because the virus has been discovered in parts of the body where it was not expected, such as the tonsils in children who did not have symptoms and in the lymph nodes in adults.
To investigate this better, master's research by Daniela Mireya Ramos Rodriguez, which was included in this group, conducted a study in mice to make a comparison with what happened in children. They divided the mice into two groups: a normal group and another genetically modified to not produce IL-10, an important molecule in controlling immune responses. The scientists' goal was to find out where the virus resides and how the body reacts without IL-10.
According to Eduardo, the results showed that in normal mice the virus was found in several organs for up to 150 days after infection. In mice that did not produce IL-10, the virus disappeared much faster and was not detected after 15 days. “This suggests that IL-10 may play a role in virus persistence in the body, although both groups of infected mice showed lung damage consistent with pneumonia and bronchiolitis.”
This study in mice opens the door to new treatments and strategies to combat this common virus that may be dangerous to children.
Master's degree Respiratory syncytial virus persistence in an animal model: role of IL-10 The PhD was defended in the Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, in 2023, under the supervision of Professor Eurico de Arruda Neto.
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