Study shows how fetal infections may cause adult heart disease

(University of Washington Health Sciences/UW Medicine) Infants born prematurely are known to have a higher risk of developing heart disease later in life. Now, a study led by researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle shows that, in preterm animal models, inflammation due to infection can disrupt the activity of genes that are crucial for normal development of the heart. The findings point to the importance of developing better ways to prevent or therapeutically target inflammation in the fetus to reduce long-term health problems.
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news