August 26, 2019

Yahoo News – West Nile Virus Explained

Dr. Amy Stone, a former University of Washington Immunology postdoc in the Gale Lab, now Assistant Professor at Touro University in Nevada, explains that genetics plays a major role in determining a person’s response to West Nile virus. Based on the study, Dr. Stone predicts that a person who, due to genetics, has a strong response to the virus through their RIG-I like Receptors (RLR) is able to fight off the virus and will have mild or no symptoms. Conversely, the study predicts that a person who has a weak RLR response can’t control the virus which can spread to the spinal cord and brain, resulting in meningitis or encephalitis. This study is an early step to understanding how the virus can be countered. Read more…