A study reported in Newswise on the 15th of December says that individuals who develop serious pneumonia from H1N1 infection may have an autoimmune disorder. According to the study the overproduction of the immune system component Interlukin 17 may be responsible for serious illness and even death. Elevated levels of Interlukin 17 were found in patients hospitalized with H1N1. This substance can cause an excess number of white blood cells to respond to lung injury caused by the swine flu virus and cause increased inflammation in the lungs. This can lead to respiratory failure and death.
"In rare cases, the virus causes lung infections requiring patients to be treated in hospital. By targeting or blocking TH17 [interlukin 17] in the future, we could potentially reduce the amount of inflammation in the lungs and speed up recovery," Dr. David Kelvin, head of the study in Canada, is quoted as saying in the article. The authors of the study think that possible future interventions may include a blood test to identify those who are at a high risk of developing autoimmunity in the case of H1N1 infection and potentially using drugs to regulate interlukin 17 in order to save lives.
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