Viral Infections Are Worst In The Morning

Sleeping in may not be so bad after all. A new study has found that victims are more susceptible to a dangerous virus in the morning.

Tech Times has reported that a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that viruses can be 10 times more dangerous if they infect patients in the morning. Contrary to what many people say, getting out of bed later in the day can actually benefit one's health. The study revealed that a disruption in the body clock can lead to an increase in the replication and dissemination of virus which led the researchers to conclude that acute infection may be influenced by one's circadian clock.

"The time of day of infection can have a major influence on how susceptible we are to the disease, or at least on the viral replication, meaning that infection at the wrong time of day could cause a much more severe acute infection," said Akhilesh Reddy, Professor at University of Cambridge.

For the study, researchers infected mice with either influenza, which can cause flu, or herpes virus, which can cause a variety of diseases, like cold sores. Results showed that mice that were infected in the morning had 10 times the viral levels compared to those infected during nighttime. The researchers described the failing nighttime virus as something that is "failing trying to hijack a factory after all the workers had gone home."

Professor Reddy told the BBC News website: "It's a big difference. The virus needs all the apparatus available at the right time, otherwise it might not ever get off the ground, but a tiny infection in the morning might perpetuate faster and take over the body."

The professor believes the findings could essentially help control different outbreaks of diseases. He explained saying, "In a pandemic, staying in during the daytime could be quite important and save people's lives, it could have a big impact if trials bear it out."

According to Times of India, results of further tests showed that the animals' bodies were made more ready for viruses to develop when their body clock was disrupted.

Meanwhile, Dr. Rachel Edgar, the first author of the study explained that the test results showed evidence that shift workers, who work some nights and rest on other nights have disrupted body clocks and therefore are more susceptible to different viral diseases. "If so, then they could be prime candidates for receiving the annual flu vaccines," she added.

The team of researchers hopes that their study will be able to help in controlling outbreaks of diseases like Ebola in Africa and Zika in Latin America.