ScienceDaily (Aug. 2, 2008) — A new study, published in the journal Science, describes 9 cases of children severely infected with common bacteria due to a deficiency in the MyD88 gene -- key to innate protection against infections. From the moment we are born, we all come into continuous contact with microbes that can cause disease. To deal with them, we have a highly effective immune system that allows our bodies to identify and eliminate agents that cause infections. Part of this mechanism is innate (already present at the time of birth) and the remaining part improves as we come into contact with new pathogens.
