Common flu in a child can cause leukemia

The influenza virus is the suspected cause of the most common form of leukemia in children. This conclusion was reached by scientists from the University of Oxford after analyzing data from the National Registry of Cancer in Children and influenza statistics from 1974 to 2000.

During this period, the incidence of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) increased by an average of 0.7% per year, the researchers said. For 27 years of follow-up in the UK, there were 2 peaks in the incidence of ALL - in 1976 and in 1990. In the same years, influenza epidemics were recorded in the country; in other years, the incidence of influenza did not exceed the epidemic threshold. The spike in ALL was seen months after the flu epidemic, the researchers said.

The findings support the theory that influenza virus and other infectious agents can contribute to the development of ALL and cause a steady increase in the incidence of this form of leukemia, said study leader Michael Murphy (Michael Murphy). Leukemia is an oncological disease in which the transformation of certain hematopoietic cells into malignant ones occurs. Lymphocytic leukemia occurs in the case of malignant degeneration of lymphocyte precursor cells in the bone marrow. ALL is the most common malignant tumor in children in the world, and accounts for up to 30 percent of all malignancies.

Most often, acute lymphoblastic leukemia affects children aged 2-4 years. The causes of ALL are still unknown, but it is assumed that specific infections, radiation, genetic factors and exposure to carcinogenic substances during fetal development play a role in its development.

According to Hanna Khoury, a leukemia specialist at Emory University Cancer Center, the theory may not be so far from the truth, as viruses are known to play a role in the development of some forms of leukemia. In particular, the Epstein-Barr virus is involved in the development of Burkitt lymphoma, and T-cell leukemia can occur in people infected with the HTLV-1 virus, she noted. According to Khoury, if the influenza virus does play a role in the development of ALL, then in practice such cases are extremely rare.

Many children get the flu every year, but only five children per 100,000 develop ALL.

Source: ecowars.tv/