Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Conversation
The Conversation
Helen McGettrick, Reader in Inflammation and Vascular Biology, University of Birmingham

How biological differences between men and women alter immune responses – and affect women's health

Fida Olga/Shutterstock

Most people will have heard the term “man flu”, which refers to men’s perceived tendency to exaggerate the severity of a cold or a similar minor ailment.

What most people may not know is that, generally speaking, women mount stronger immune responses to infections than men. Men are more susceptible to infections from, for example, HIV, hepatitis B, and Plasmodium falciparum (the parasite responsible for malaria).

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.