Fever is one of the body’s natural reactions to infection, but scientists are still evaluating how the increased body temperatures impact viruses.

“There's a cultural knowledge that there's this relationship between temperature and viruses, but at a molecular level, we're quite unsure how temperature might be impacting viruses,” states Sam Wilson, a microbiologist at the University of Cambridge.

According to Wilson, there are two main concepts. The heat of a fever might directly harm the virus, echoing theories initially proposed by Hippocrates.Otherwise , the temperature elevation could indirectly help the body, either by boosting immune system function or as an unavoidable byproduct of fighting an infection.

Researchers study fever using mice

“The fact that there weren't definitive answers to these questions piqued my interest,” cites Wilson. His curiosity resulted in research published in Science, which indicates that, at least in mice, elevated temperature alone may be enough to combat specific viruses.

Examining this effect was complex because it is difficult to separate the influence of fever from the immune reaction that typically accompanies it. “The stars had to align,” Wilson describes.

How was bird flu used to test the effects of heat?

The researchers opted for bird flu as their test virus as birds have naturally higher body temperatures than humans. Influenza A viruses that infect birds replicate in the gut, warmer than the airways preferred by human flu viruses. “This means that bird flus are adapted to replicate at a higher temperature, a temperature equivalent to that of a human fever,” cites Wilson.

What is the significance of the PB1 heat-tolerant segment?

The team isolated a heat resistant session of the bird flu genome, known as PB1, and inserted it into a human flu virus, making two nearly identical strains, one normal human flu, and one heat resistant. Laboratory mice, which do not naturally develop fevers in reaction to influenza, were then used to test the impact of temperature.

When kept at normal lab temperatures, mice infected with either strain became ill. But increasing the temperature showed a major difference: mice exposed to the heat sensitive virus fared considerably better, while those with the heat-tolerant strain still fell sick. This indicates that elevated temperatures alone can lower the severity of specific viral infections.

Can fever enhance the immune system’s effectiveness?

“This study reinforces the idea that temperature alone is an important and effective part of the body's attempt to respond to infection,” states Daniel Barreda, a microbiologist at the University of Alberta who was not involved in the research. He cites, however, that fever may also enhance immune function, which could be vital for viruses less sensitive to heat.

What are the implications of this research for treating fevers in humans?

Joe Alcock, an emergency physician and researcher at the University of New Mexico, highlights that findings in mice do not automatically translate directly to humans. Still, he states that the study strengthens proof that fevers have a purposeful role. “We treat fevers as almost like a knee jerk reaction, giving medicines like acetaminophen or Tylenol,” he states. While treating fever is sometimes required, mainly when high temperatures threaten human cells, it raises questions in regard to whether suppressing fever might unintentionally slow the body’s viral defenses.

“Is it possible that by taking Tylenol or ibuprofen for a viral infection, that I might be actually making it tougher for my body to get rid of the infection?” Alcock says. “That's as yet an unanswered question.

FAQs;

Q1. What is a fever?
A fever is a temporary rise in body temperature in reaction to infection or illness. It is part of the body’s natural defense mechanism.

Q2. Why does the body develop a fever?
Fever can help slow the development of specific viruses and bacteria. It also shows that the immune system to work more effectively.