Children’s book brings our immune system to life

• ‘Maya’s Marvellous Medicine’, the third children’s book by immunologist Prof. Adrian Liston and illustrated by artist Dr Sonia Agüera-Gonzalez launches today.
• The book sees Maya learn about the cells that make up our immune system and how vaccinations prepare these cells for battle.
• The book is available to read for free online, or purchase as a physical copy.

Professor Adrian Liston, Senior Group Leader at the Babraham Institute, and artist Dr Sonia Agüera-Gonzalez have published a captivating story book to teach children about the immune system and why vaccinations are important. As some children begin to receive the flu vaccine ahead of this winter and with pharmaceutical companies applying for approval of their COVID-19 vaccines for children under 12, ‘Maya’s Marvellous Medicine’ can be used by adults to discuss key scientific concepts with them. The book is available on Issuu and Amazon today.

The book is set in a doctor’s office just before Maya receives a vaccination. Maya learns that vaccines are made up of bits of microbes that your body practices fighting, just like Maya practiced for her race at school. The doctor explains to Maya that dendritic cells present B and T cells with the clues that allow them to defeat the real microbes, even if that is years later. 

The message in Prof. Liston’s book is two-fold, he explains: “After reading ‘Maya’s Marvellous Medicine’ I hope that kids will understand what a vaccine is, and how the immune system practices. More important, though, is the underlying message of empathy. Vaccines protect you, but they also protect your loved ones and your community.” Protecting others is the focus of Prof. Liston’s first book ‘Battle Robots of the Blood’, about a boy with a compromised immune system.  

As an immunologist, Prof. Liston hopes his book sparks an appreciation for vaccines and work like his: “I'd love kids to learn just how cool the immune system is, and parents to be reminded that vaccines make us all safe. Vaccines have likely saved more lives than all other medical interventions combined, and yet they've come under targeted attack over the past decade, with deliberate misinformation campaigns. That means we need to be creating positive proactive stories, like Maya's Marvellous Medicine or Battle Robots of the Blood.”

Talking about her experience working on this series of books Dr Sonia Agüera-Gonzalez commented: “I have thoroughly enjoyed bringing Maya to life and telling such an important story. Books like the ones we have made can be a powerful tool for teachers, educators, parents and carers who would like to have conversations with young children about vaccines without glossing over the science behind the jab.”

Prof. Liston added: “I always look forward to seeing the new styles of illustration Sonia brings to a project. I also love seeing my own son’s reaction to the final products. This book is dedicated to him for all the time we spent together in the lockdown.”

Maya's Marvellous Medicine

Our latest book for children, "Maya's Marvellous Medicine", is now out!

Follow Maya as she learns all about vaccines - the most marvellous medicines. Maya learns how the immune system works, and how vaccines help the immune system to be strong. Whether it is the immune system or a running race, the lesson is clear - practise makes perfect!

Take a look, either to learn all about vaccines and the immune system, or simply to enjoy the gorgeous illustrations by Tenmei.

The book is available freely in a digital format at Issuu, or you can order a paperback copy at Amazon.

Spreek je Nederlands? Met dank aan Erika Van Nieuwenhove, lees "Maya's magnifiek medicijn" op Issuu of Amazon.

Understanding immune variation

Mo Siewcharran Prize to Tenmei

Lovely news that the talented Tenmei won a Mo Siewcharran Prize at the FAB Prizes, discovering new talent and promoting under-represented authors, for her beautiful illustrations in "Battle Robots of the Blood". Gorgeous detail throughout, but my favourite picture is perhaps the evocative eyes staring at an embarrassed Tim. Prize well deserved!

Fact-checking COVID-19 claims

From a recent interview with a fact-checking journalist:

Claim: Alcohol-based hand sanitiser shouldn't be used day after day as it breaks down the first immune barrier of the body: the lipid bacteria of the skin.

Verdict: Misleading. Alcohol-based gels do reduce the number of skin-resident bacteria and can start to cause some damage to the skin with prolonged use, in some individuals. However, the skin barrier is irrelevant to COVID-19, and alcohol-based gels also eliminate viruses from the skin, preventing transmission to surfaces and your face. Overall there is a clear benefit to use frequent hand-washing, and the negatives can be countered with moisturising.

Claim: We can strengthen our immune system in weeks or even days (for young people), which would mean that if one does contract COVID-19, it's more likely going to be a mild case which does not require hospitalisation.

Verdict: False. First of all, it is misleading to talk about "strengthening" the immune system. The immune system could be considered more like taste. You can increase how spicy food is, or increase how sweet food is - both are "strengthening" the taste but mean different things. Different "flavours" of the immune response are optimal in different circumstances, so there is no such thing as a generic increase in how strong the immune system is. It is also completely unclear as to whether we actually want a "stronger" immune response in COVID-19 - there is good evidence that an excessive immune response of one particular "flavour" is causing the immune pathology. We want to train the immune response in a particular direction (e.g. through vaccines) not generically increase its power (even if that was possible, which it isn't).

Claim: A well functioning immune system is dependent on the quality of our intestinal flora. This is why we should avoid eating refined "industrial" food.

Verdict: Half true. There is an interaction between the gut bacteria and the immune system, and this is modified by the food we eat. It is not very well understood, and it is likely too early to say whether the net effect of the consequences is generally good or generally bad. It is certainly too early to say whether it makes a positive or negative effect in the case of COVID-19. As general advice, eating fresh and unprocessed foods, high in vegetables and low is red meat is good health advice, regardless of what it does to the immune system.

Claim: Fasting strengthens the immune system in only 3 days.

Verdict: False. Fasting modifies the immune system slightly, which could be advantageous in some circumstances and detrimental in others. It is a minor effect though, and certainly it would not be advised that someone with symptomatic COVID-19 undergoes extensive fasting. The body needs resources to fight an infection.

Claim: Herbal supplements such as echinacea and elderberry strengthen the immune system in a matter of weeks.

Verdict: False. There are active compounds in all plants, which can modify aspects of the immune system if given in high enough doses in a dish. That does not mean that eating a few pills does anything at all. It is very important for people to understand that supplements and medicines are regulated completely differently. "Supplements" are allowed to make essentially any claim, without any evidence, as long as that claim is vague. This is why you get garbage claims about "immune boosting": they are vague enough that they are legally allowed to be made without evidence. Actual medicines, on the other hand, can only make extremely specific claims that are backed up by evidence. All claims about herbal supplements should essentially be treated as advertising material. 

Claim: Vitamins and minerals strengthen the immune system.

Verdict: Misleading. Vitamins and minerals are different from other supplements. They are needed by the body in extremely low quantities, and if they are absent then health problems arise. For people who are actually deficient, taking vitamins and minerals will improve health, including the immune system. However, almost no one in the developed world is actually deficient, and certainly having a balanced diet of fresh food will give you more than enough of every known vitamin and mineral. Unless you have an exceptionally limited diet, taking these tablets doesn't do anything.  

Claim: Fear is a powerful immunodepressant.

Verdict: Half-true. Anxiety can modify the immune system, and can give poorer health outcomes during some types of infection. The effect is weak to moderate, but it is measurable. This should not be used as an excuse not to spread awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic, however: some degree of anxiety is rational and protective, where it supports valid infection-avoidance behaviours (e.g., hand-washing, wearing a mask, avoiding crowded areas).

Claim: Practicing yoga strengthens the immune system.

Verdict: Misleading. There is nothing special about yoga. There are, however, weak to moderate beneficial effects of exercise and the alleviation of anxiety on infection outcomes. For some people, they may get this through yoga. Others may get it through gardening, or a daily run, or the ritual of a cup of tea. We should look after our mental health, which means cultivating habits that make us happy. The idea that one particular solution like yoga or mediation has any special properties beyond this is completely unsupported. Keep it up if you enjoy it, but it doesn't replace medicine and won't work for every person.

Learning all about the immune system

Happy readers of "Battle Robots of the Blood"!

Coronavirus is infectious before illness

Coronavirus science simplified: number 6. This article in Nature Medicine looked at the amount of virus present in patients before and after they got symptoms. The data is clear: you can spread COVID19 before you actually get sick, so wear a mask! Read the original paper, or see the illustrated abstract by Tenmai.

Giving a virtual guest lecture

Cartoon courtesy of Simon Gumble, GSK

SARS-CoV-2 is not a bioweapon

Coronavirus science simplified: number 5. This article in Nature Medicine used genetic analysis to test the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 was generated in a lab as a bioweapon. Spoiler alert: it wasn't. Clear hallmarks of natural evolution and none of the features of a designed virus. Read the original paper, or see the illustrated abstract by Tenmai.

Smoking and coronavirus

"Coronavirus science simplified" edition 4. This paper looks at the expression of the protein ACE2 in smokers and ex-smokers. Why is this important? Read the pre-print (like a scientific paper, but it hasn't been reviewed yet - consider it a preliminary result), or see the illustrated abstract from TenMei: