We could soon be saying goodbye to the common cold (Image: Evah Smit)
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Scientists believe that they have made a discovery that could help to find a cure for viral illnesses, such as the common cold
Many people are hit by the sniffles each year, sometimes more than once, and often the advice given is to just let the virus run its course.
Until now experts though that antibodies could only tackle viral infection from outside cells.
However, work carried out by the Medical Research Council, shows that antibodies are able to pass into cells and attack viruses from within.
Viruses remain the main cause of deaths, causing twice as many deaths each year than cancer, so this is a positive discovery.
Dr Leo James, who helped to make the new discovery, said, ‘Although these are early days, and we don’t know whether all viruses are cleared by this mechanism, we are excited that this could open multiple avenues for developing new antiviral drugs.’
Sir Greg Winter, deputy director of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, said, ‘This research is not only a leap in our understanding about how and where antibodies work, but more generally in our understanding of immunity and infection.’
By Lauren King
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