Time of day influences our susceptibility to infection

We are more susceptible to infection at certain times of the day as our body clock affects the ability of viruses to replicate and spread between cells, suggests new research from the University of Cambridge. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, may help explain why shift workers, whose body clocks are routinely disrupted, are more prone to health problems, including infections and chronic disease. The paper explains that when a virus enters our body, it hijacks the machinery and resources in our cells to help it replicate and spread throughout the body. However, the