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takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

Viral infections are more successful when the infection started in the morning [bbc.com], and disruptions to the circadian rhythm such as jet lag give viruses even better opportunities to propagate, according to a new study:

Viruses are more dangerous when they infect their victims in the morning, a University of Cambridge study suggests. The findings, published in PNAS [pnas.org] [DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1601895113], showed viruses were 10 times more successful if the infection started in the morning. And the animal studies found that a disrupted body clock - caused by shift-work or jet lag - was always vulnerable to infection.

The researchers say the findings could lead to new ways of stopping pandemics. Viruses - unlike bacteria or parasites - are completely dependent on hijacking the machinery inside cells in order to replicate. But those cells change dramatically as part of a 24-hour pattern known as the body clock.

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