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THE BODY'S OVER REACTION TO GERMS IN RELATIONS TO SIDS
March 16, 1999Research by, among others, Dr Caroline Blackwell of the University of Edinburgh's Department of Medical Microbiology suggests that many SIDS babies have been exposed to bacteria that can cause the body's natural defences to germs to 'over react'.
The white cells in blood produce substances that help destroy bacteria and viruses. These are very important in babies during the early months of life for two reasons: firstly, many of the protective antibodies against bacteria and viruses the baby received from the mother at birth have been used up; secondly, the baby has not produced many antibodies because it has not completed its immunisation schedule or been 'naturally' exposed to a wide range of bacteria or viruses.
The levels of these early responses to germs can vary in different people. Some people produce very high responses and others very low ones. These differences appear to run in families. Dr Blackwell and colleagues want to determine if parents of SIDS babies have very high or very low levels of these 'natural' first line defences against bacteria and viruses.
The project, funded by The Scottish Cot Death, will examine the reactions of white blood cells from parents who have had a cot death. The same tests will also be done with white blood cells from parents who have not had a cot death.
In Britain, the numbers of cot deaths and deaths due to respiratory tract infections are lower among Asian families than white families. Infant care practices, environment and genetics might all play a role in these differences if infectious agents are involved. For this reason, Asian parents, in particular, are being requested to take part in the study. About 2 tablespoons of blood will be needed, and a research nurse will ask a few questions about home and family to provide some background for interpretation of the tests.
Edinburgh, University of
The project, funded by The Scottish Cot Death, will examine the reactions of white blood cells from parents who have had a cot death. The same tests will also be done with white blood cells from parents who have not had a cot death.
In Britain, the numbers of cot deaths and deaths due to respiratory tract infections are lower among Asian families than white families. Infant care practices, environment and genetics might all play a role in these differences if infectious agents are involved. For this reason, Asian parents, in particular, are being requested to take part in the study. About 2 tablespoons of blood will be needed, and a research nurse will ask a few questions about home and family to provide some background for interpretation of the tests.
Edinburgh, University of
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