New research published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases (Almendrala, 2014) studied reasons why children survive ebola more often than adults. One conclusion was that children have stronger immune responses to the disease than do adults. The levels of a protein called RANTE, which is a molecule that helps cells in the immune system communicate with each other, were higher in children than in adults. This protein also assists T-cells, the ‘killers’ of invading bacteria and viruses in our bodies. A possible reason for the higher levels of RANTE in children has to do with better health and a stronger immune system. This includes lower stress levels overall.
[More]