Modern Solution to Old Disease

A recent study by the Laboratory of Molecular Biology at Cambridge has developed a method to combat virus that causes many diseases including the common cold. It is known that once a virus enters a cell, it is impossible to target the virus without damaging the host cell which than is damaging the human body. The basis of immunology is that the only way to stop virus in the human body is to destroy while it is on the outside, once it is in the cell, than treating the virus itself is virtually impossible. However, studies have shown that the human immune system possess defense that fends of the invading virus but they usually are overwhelmed by the numerous amount of virus. The method that scientist developed to deal with this is to simply enhance this defensive mechanism; making it strong enough to consistently provide a defense against the bombarding viruses. Scientists have isolated a specific antigen that identifies viruses. This antigen is known as TRIM21. The main problem why the current system is ineffective is due to the fact that the immune system doesn’t react fast enough to the signals made by the TRIM21 when it hooks onto a virus. Most of the time, these viruses will hijack the cell before the immune can response. Once it infects the cell, the immune system can’t do anything anymore. If this system can be strengthen, then the virus can be eliminated hopefully before it can infect a cell. Researchers believe that this antigen can be administered though injections like shots.

Personally, I found this to be a major breakthrough in medicine. Not only with the common cold, but the numerous amounts of other viruses that is extremely dangerous. Viruses have always been a problem to deal with because they are difficult to treat with medicine. Now instead of using external treatments that can possess other side-effects, we can increase the body’s natural defenses to deal with not only one virus but multiple kinds.

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-11/scientists-may-have-discovered-cure-common-cold-and-lots-other-viruses