We’ve known for a while that men are hit harder by the coronavirus. In fact, older men are up to twice as likely to become severely sick and to die as women of the same age. But why?
A new study published in Nature today suggests that men, particularly those over 60, produce a weaker immune response to the virus than do women. That’s in line with what we already know about differences between men’s and women’s immune systems: Women generally mount faster and stronger responses, perhaps because their bodies have evolved to fight pathogens that threaten unborn or newborn children.
The Nature study tracked 17 men and 22 women who were hospitalized after they became infected with the coronavirus. The scientists found that the women’s bodies produced more T cells, which can kill virus-infected cells and stop the infection from spreading, and at a faster pace.
This powerful reaction isn’t always positive. An immune system in a high state of alert can be damaging, and autoimmune diseases are much more prevalent in women than in men.
The findings underscore the need for vaccine companies to parse their data by sex, and they suggest that men, especially older men, may need to depend more on vaccines to protect against the infection.
@ NYTimes
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Source: Vietnam Insider