Even the sight of an infection can trigger an immune response
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Economist
4 days ago
- Economist
Even the sight of an infection can trigger an immune response
THE HUMAN immune system is full of surprises. Though it has long been known that the body's internal defences spring into action when an infection-causing intruder—such as a bacterium or virus—is detected, a new study published in Nature Neuroscience suggests that the mere sight of an infection may be enough to kick the immune system into gear. The findings could reframe scientists' understanding of this most complex of biological systems and aid the development of treatments for immune disorders.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- The Guardian
Sight of someone potentially infectious causes immune response, research suggests
Whether it's the person brandishing a tissue on the train or the child with the telltale signs of chickenpox, the threat of an infection can be enough for us to beat a retreat. Now researchers using virtual reality avatars have shown that the mere sight of a potentially contagious person is enough to mobilise our immune system too. 'Although surprising, our finding that immune responses can be triggered by simulated infections presented in VR is consistent with the principle of the smoke detector in biological systems,' the authors said, adding the behavioural system that helps us avoid catching diseases is 'exquisitely sensitive' to cues that may suggest someone is sick. Writing in the journal Nature Neuroscience, the researchers reported how they fitted 248 healthy people with VR headsets and carried out five experiments, each involving a minimum of 32 participants. In each experiment, participants initially watched three faces of the same sex as themselves repeatedly loom towards them, bearing a neutral expression. Participants were then split into groups and shown the same three faces multiple times, either with a neutral expression or signs of viral infections such as skin rashes. In some experiments, an additional subset of participants were shown the faces displaying an expression of fear. In one experiment, participants were asked to press a button as fast as possible after receiving a mild touch to their face while an avatar was shown. The team found that when the avatars showed signs of sickness, participants pressed the button when the faces appeared further away than for faces showing a neutral or fearful expression. Results from EEG tests to investigate the electrical activity of the brain tallied with these findings. As expected, as avatars loomed closer, the brain system that represents the space closely surrounding our body became activated. However, this activation differed when the avatars showed signs of infection compared with neutral expressions, even when they appeared far away. These differences, the team add, were localised in areas of the brain involved in detecting and filtering threats. The team found that functional MRI (fMRI) brain scans supported these results, further revealing that when infectious avatars were shown there was a greater connection between this threat-detection network and part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which acts as a key regulation centre for the body. The team also found differences in participants' blood when they were shown the infectious avatars compared with neutral or fearful faces. '[In terms of cells], we saw mainly that there is an activation of an immune cell family called the innate lymphoid cells (ILCs)that [are] early responders in immunity to basically alarm other immune cells,' said Prof Camilla Jandus of the University of Geneva and an author of the study. The team added that they found a similar activation of ILCs when they examined the blood of individuals who had received an influenza vaccine but had not been exposed to the VR setup. Dr Esther Diekhof of the University of Hamburg, who was not involved in the work, said the study chimed with previous research, including that of her own team. 'The study provides yet another good example for the existence of a mechanism that responds to potential contagion threats even before the immune system has come into contact with pathogens,' she said. But Prof Benedict Seddon, of University College London, said questions remained, including whether the observed responses help the immune system actually fight an infection. 'When we get infected, by Sars-CoV for instance, it can take a day or two for the infection to establish and for the immune system to become aware of it and respond, a long time after the initial encounter that stimulated this short-lived mobilisation,' he said.
Telegraph
26-07-2025
- Telegraph
NHS is ‘failing' British FGM victims
The NHS has been accused of 'failing' victims of female genital mutilation (FGM) by not providing the correct care for survivors. Women and girls are forced to leave the UK to have reconstructive surgery abroad due to the lack of treatment available in Britain, The Telegraph has found. Germany has emerged as one of the main destinations for victims of the practice, with many having to crowdfund up to £30,000 to afford the travel and surgery due to NHS failings, survivors say. FGM involves the cutting of the genitals and is often justified by those who advocate for it as a cultural and religious norm. But it is illegal in most countries, including in Africa and Asia, where it is most prevalent. Human rights groups say the practice is a violation of a woman's sexuality and autonomy. The World Health Organisation states FGM has no health benefits for girls and women and can result in severe bleeding, problems urinating and infections. According to the organisation's updated guidelines, countries should provide comprehensive, trauma-informed care for FGM survivors, including access to reconstructive surgery and effective psychosocial support. The UK falls short of that. Only about 10 per cent of the UK's estimated 170,000 FGM survivors, approximately 17,000 women, are eligible for the NHS's sole surgical intervention – deinfibulation. Deinfibulation is the surgical opening of scar tissue formed from FGM. It is limited to treating only those with Type 3 FGM, the most severe form, which consists of the removal of part or all of the external genitalia and the stitching together of the vaginal opening (often called infibulation). This leaves roughly 153,000 women without any surgical option. Numbers are estimated to be even higher, with many cases not recorded in official statistics. Shamsa Araweelo, an FGM survivor living with chronic pain, was forced to raise £30,000 for reconstructive surgery in Germany, where work in the field is among the most pioneering in Europe. She said: 'The NHS failed to provide me with the healthcare I needed. 'No survivor should have to crowdfund their right to a pain-free life. 'Even if I did have a deinfibulation in the UK, it would mean that they would open you up until they can see the urethra, and then they stop. The NHS won't repair any of the damage.' Dr Dan mon O'Dey, a specialist in reconstructive surgery, said he's seen an influx of patients from the UK visit his practice in Heidelberg, Germany. He said: 'Every week, I have contact with new patients from England… every week, two to three more patients coming from England. 'What I hear, especially from patients… is that [FGM surgery] is something that needs to be improved in England.' His clinic offers procedures beyond deinfibulation, including full reconstructive surgery and structured aftercare. He said deinfibulation has benefits for the patient, especially the ability to urinate freely, but 'more care and treatment might be needed to ensure long-term comfort and prevent complications'. Huda Mohamed, an MBE recipient and a lead specialist midwife at the Whittington, said: 'In Germany, they'll have aftercare, they'll have ongoing support.' Ms Mohamed highlighted that the unmet needs of those with Type 1 and Type 2 FGM can still cause chronic infections, painful menstruation and problems in childbirth, despite it being less severe than Type 3. She said: 'Sometimes they damage the nerves… the women complain about not being able even to wear tight clothes… we don't have that specialist thing. We can't do reconstruction.' July is deemed the 'cutting season', a period during school holidays when girls are considered to be at heightened risk of being taken abroad – mostly to East Africa – to undergo female genital mutilation. In 2023, Amina Noor was convicted of assisting a non-UK person to carry out the procedure overseas 17 years ago. It was the first conviction of its kind under the FGM Act of 2003 and followed the only other successful prosecution related to FGM, in 2019, when a Ugandan woman from east London, was jailed for 11 years for cutting a three-year-old girl. Leyla Hussein, an activist and a survivor, said: 'Because of the convictions they are now taking girls younger and younger. They know now they have to be more careful.' According to research published in February by the University of Birmingham, a girl dies every 12 minutes as a result of FGM-related complications. Ms Hussein said the UK's limited surgical provision for FGM survivors was woefully inadequate. She said: 'Just deinfibulation is not enough… I can give as much therapeutic support as I can but reconstructive surgery would be life-changing for these women. 'The NHS has a duty of care to these women. These are British women. These are women who are suffering, and it's literally a basic duty of care.' The UK's last campaign to raise awareness of FGM was in 2018 and ended in January 2023, according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The Government hosts resources on FGM, but does not specify that it is a form of child abuse and violence against women and girls. An NHS spokesman said: 'The NHS is committed to supporting FGM survivors, which is why it has rolled out more than 20 national FGM support clinics across England, where patients can receive a range of support, including referral to a specialist consultant where needed. 'All NHS healthcare professionals have responsibilities to safeguard women and girls at risk of FGM or other abuse, and FGM is part of mandatory safeguarding training for staff.' Juliet Albert, a NHS midwife and advocate for FGM reconstructive surgery, said, 'We are failing FGM survivors. 'It's embarrassing that the UK has not taken this forward for all these years. I mean, in France, since 1998 more than 7,000 women have had reconstruction surgery, and yet we don't even offer it here.'
