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Indian scientists identify harmful TB protein

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Bracing fight against TB, this time Indian researchers have come up identifying a protein in the tuberculosis bacteria which, in their opinion, weakens the body’s immune response to this fatal disease.

Detection of this protein has provided researchers with the hope that soon some more effective remedy would be there to fight tuberculosis bacteria, which infects approximately 8.8 million people in a year, causing 1.6 million deaths worldwide.

This so-called protein has been defined as ESAT-6, which binds itself to a type of white blood cells (WBC) and thus, upsets their ability to fight off harmful viruses and bacteria. Simply, this very reason kills 50% of the patients, afflicted with TB. Telling more about ESAT-6 protein lead researchers Joyoti Basu at the Bose Institute in Calcutta said:

The ESAT-6 protein in TB bacteria latches onto certain receptors called TLR2 on the surface of macrophages — a type of white blood cell.

Findings leaping out of this study are really quite significant, as they ensure that in future, TB patients would have better treatment. Moreover, it sparse away the vapid conclusion of a study according to which vaccine against TB is turning ineffective.

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Via: Reuters

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