Warning to anyone who’s had norovirus over life-changing side effect
PEOPLE who have had norovirus have been urged to be on the look out for a life-changing condition.
Researchers found that the bug could trigger cases of Crohn's disease.
It's a life-long ailment once diagnosed and there is no cure for the illness.
In most people it causes inflammation of the digestive system.
The inflammation is the body's reaction to injury or irritation, and can cause redness, swelling and pain.
Medics at NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine in the US found that norovirus is one of the several viruses that trigger the Crohn's.
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They found that one of the genetic mutations of Crohn's is also present in patients with norovirus.
Writing in the journal , medics said that healthy people who get the bug can secrete immune defenders called T cells.
These then secrete protein called apoptosis inhibitor five.
This then signals the immune system to halt the attack on the gut lining cells.
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This protein usually adds an extra layer of protection against the immune system being damaged - so that people with mutations can still have a healthy tummy,
But, the researchers found that the norovirus bug actually blocks T cell secretion, killing gut lining cells in the process.
Study lead author and gastroenterologist Yu Matsuzawa-Ishimoto at NYU said: "Our findings offer new insight into the key role that apoptosis inhibitor five plays in Crohn's disease.
"This molecule may provide a new target for treating this chronic autoimmune illness, which has proven difficult to manage over the long term."
The symptoms of Crohn's you need to know
Common symptoms include recurring diarrhoea, abdominal pain and cramping - usually worse after eating and extreme tiredness.
Unintended weight loss and blood and mucus in your stools are also common symptoms.
People may only experience one of the above symptoms and some experience severe symptoms or mild problems.
There may also be weeks or months where symptoms are mild or non-existent.
Less common symptoms include a high temperature, feeling sick and being sick, joint pain and swelling, inflammation and irritation of the eyes and mouth ulcers.
If you have persistent diarrhoea, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss or blood in your stools, visit your GP.
The experts added that current therapies work by supressing the immune system.
However, they add that this puts patients at risk of infection and eventually, these become less efffective.
He said a treatment using AP15 could stop these problems in their tracks.
They added: "Our study suggests that when norovirus infects those with a weakened ability to produce apoptosis inhibitor five, it tips the balance toward a full-blown autoimmune disease.
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"The results of our investigation help explain why the genetic links to Crohn's are much broader than the actual number of people who have the disease."
It's important to note that part of the study was conducted on human tissue, while some was also conducted in mice that were bred to have Crohn's.