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Article: 'Self-Recovery' From Hepatitis C Infection Linked to Genes That Suppress Action of Killer Immune Cells.
- Article from:
- Ascribe Higher Education News Service
- Article date:
- August 5, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 AScribe. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
BALTIMORE, Aug. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- In a study to be published in Science online Aug. 6, researchers at Johns Hopkins have found that genes involved in suppressing the body's defensive "killer" immune cells are a potential key factor in spontaneous recovery from hepatitis C. The viral infection of the liver can lead to cirrhosis, cancer and even death. This genetic factor was found in people assumed to be exposed to a low dose of virus at the time of infection.
"Our findings may help explain why some of the 20 percent of people infected with hepatitis C manage to recover on their own, while the remaining 80 ...