Australian researchers may have found a breakthrough treatment for lupus.

In a study published in Nature Communications on Feb. 6, scientists at Monash University revealed that they were able to “fix” defective cells that can cause lupus, an autoimmune disease.

They accomplished this by infusing human cells — called regulatory T cells — harvested from healthy people, which then triggered a protective mechanism that helps to prevent autoimmunity, according to a press release from the university.

FRIENDS RUN FOR A CURE FOR LUPUS, COMPLETING NYC MARATHON IN HONOR OF LONGTIME PAL AND LUPUS SUFFERER

People who develop lupus and other autoimmune disorders lack these special T cells.

“We’ve figured out a way to fix a defect that causes lupus,” Peter Eggenhuizen, a research fellow at Monash University and co-first author of the study, told Fox News Digital.

“We achieved this by engineering patient cells with protective molecules from healthy people. In preclinical models, this halted lupus kidney disease progression.”

The research was performed in both test tubes and in mouse models.

FOR AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE SUFFERERS, GINGER MAY ‘PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE’ IN CONTROLLING INFLAMMATION, STUDY FINDS

The researchers were surprised to discover that the infused patient cells,enhanced with protective molecules, suppressed lupus without the need for toxic immunosuppressant drugs.

“New technologies using T regulatory cells as therapy for lupus and other autoimmune conditions are emerging and herald a new generation of personalized medicine,” Eggenhuizen said. 

An experimental therapy was able to “completely arrest” the development of lupus kidney disease without using potentially harmful immunosuppressant drugs, said researchers (not pictured).  (iStock)

Co-senior author Joshua Ooi, an associate professor who heads Monash University’s Regulatory T Cell Therapies Group at Monash Health, said the new therapy was able to “completely arrest” the development of lupus kidney disease. 

“It’s like a reset of the abnormal immune system back to a healthy state — kind of like a major software upgrade,” Ooi said in the press release. 

“That it uses the patient’s own cells is a very special part of this.”

AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE: A BODY AT WAR WITH ITSELF

Beyond treating lupus, the researchers hope that the targeted T regulatory cell therapy can be used eventually as a therapy for over 100 other autoimmune conditions, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. 

Although these initial findings are promising, the researcher emphasized that this work is at the pre-clinical stage. 

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that impacts some 1.5 million people in the U.S. (iStock)

“Two years of additional research and development is required before the first human clinical trials can commence,” he said.

Human clinical trials are expected to start in 2026 to determine the viability of the experimental treatment method.

BREAKTHROUGH FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SUFFERERS MAY INVOLVE HELPFUL HORMONE: ‘PATIENTS SHOULD REMAIN OPTIMISTIC’

Dr. Emily Littlejohn, a rheumatologist and lupus expert from Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, was not involved in the clinical studies but said the proposed treatment looks “promising” as a possible therapy for certain lupus patients.

“This Australian group from Monash University was able to halt the progression of lupus nephritis in a lupus mouse model,” she told Fox News Digital in an interview. 

“Lupus nephritis is one of the most devastating manifestations of systemic lupus, and this therapy could prove to be life-changing for many of our patients.”

Lupus is more common among women between 15 and 44 years of age and people who are African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, or Pacific Islander, according to the Lupus Foundation. (iStock)

Because this study was done in vitro and in lupus nephritis mouse models, Littlejohn noted that it’s very difficult to make presumptions about how this therapy will perform in humans with lupus.  

“It will be interesting to see how this treatment translates in clinical trials using human patients,” she added.

Current treatments for lupus include disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, or DMARDs, in addition to biologic agents, which are immunosuppressive therapies in either tablet, injection or infusion form, Littlejohn noted. 

YOUR DIABETES RISK MAY DOUBLE IF YOU EAT THIS FOOD TWICE A WEEK, SAY HARVARD RESEARCHERS

“While these drugs have proven to be useful to treat and prevent progression of lupus, we still do not have ample success rates in treating patients with lupus nephritis,” she said. “We are looking forward to the up-and-coming drug trials that are ongoing in this space for treatment of different forms of systemic lupus.”

What to know about lupus

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks healthy tissue in the body, which causes inflammation and pain in the body, according to the Lupus Foundation of America’s website.

The disease most often affects the joints, skin and major organs, such as the kidneys and heart. 

Common symptoms include joint pain, extreme fatigue, joint pain or a butterfly rash.

The disease most often affects the joints, skin and major organs, such as the kidneys and heart. (iStock)

There are four different types of lupus, as detailed on the foundation’s website.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most common form, affects multiple organs or organ systems.

Cutaneous lupus only affects the skin, while drug-induced lupus is triggered by specific prescription drugs.

Neonatal lupus is a rare condition that is passed from a pregnant woman to her infant.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Lupus can run in families, and it’s also more common among women between 15 and 44 years of age and people who are African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, or Pacific Islander, according to the same foundation.

The disease affects approximately 1.5 million people in the U.S.

Although these initial findings are promising, the researcher emphasized that this work is at the pre-clinical stage.  (iStock)

“Systemic lupus is a life-threatening and difficult-to-treat disease,” said Littlejohn. 

“Given the variety of manifestations of this disease and the wide range of clinical symptoms, having more treatment options will only help improve disease outcomes and quality of life in these patients.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

With dozens of new drugs in various stages of clinical trial, Littlejohn said this is an “exciting time” for drug development in systemic lupus.

“The ongoing scientific work and treatment development breakthroughs, such as the one put forth in this article, are wonderful to see.”

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

A growing number of schools are relaxing their restrictions and opening their doors to kids with coughs, sore throats and other symptoms.

This is a marked difference from the strict guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic — when parents were advised to keep students home at any sign of illness.

California is one of the states that has relaxed its restrictions, as outlined on the state health department’s website.

KIDS’ STOMACH PAIN IS COMMON COMPLAINT, YET MANY PARENTS DON’T SEEK MEDICAL CARE, POLL FINDS

Students may attend school or child care even if they have cough and cold symptoms, including a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, congestion or body aches — with the exception of those who also have a fever, uncontrolled coughing fits or difficulty breathing.

Kids who have a headache or a stiff, painful neck may also come to school in the absence of a concussion or infection, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

The Golden State also allows kids to go to school with pink eye, as long as they don’t have vision problems, pain or injury.

Stomach pain is also OK, unless it involves an injury, vomiting, diarrhea or fever.

AS CHILDHOOD PNEUMONIA SPREADS, HERE’S WHAT PARENTS CAN DO TO KEEP THEIR KIDS HEALTHY

In some cases, students may even attend with an earache, diarrhea or wheezing, according to the health department’s guidelines.

California has also updated recommendations for individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, the CDPH said in an email to Fox News Digital.

Although those who test positive are still advised to monitor symptoms and stay home if they have a fever and feel ill, the days of mandated quarantines appear to be over.

The state of California has relaxed its restrictions, as outlined on the state health department’s website, and has opened its schools’ doors to kids with coughs, sore throats and other symptoms. (iStock)

“Instead of staying home for a minimum of five days, individuals may return to work or school when they start to feel better, meaning that their symptoms are mild and improving, and they have not had a fever for a full day (24 hours) without the use of fever-reducing medication,” the CDPH told Fox News Digital. 

The department does still recommend 10 days of masking for students who have tested positive for COVID or have respiratory symptoms.

“Instead of staying home for a minimum of five days, individuals may return to work or school when they start to feel better.”

The state has also relaxed its COVID testing guidance.

“People who have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19 and do not have COVID-19 symptoms are only recommended to test if they are at higher risk of severe disease and would benefit from treatment OR if they have contact with people who are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 infection,” the agency said.

“The reason for these changes is that we are now at a different point in time with reduced impacts from COVID-19 compared to prior years due to broad immunity from vaccination and/or natural infection, and readily available treatments for infected people,” the CDPH added.

A child who has a fever along with another symptom or sign of illness should not attend school or child care, according to the CDPH. (iStock)

The city of Boston, Massachusetts, also has relaxed its stay-at-home restrictions for sick kids.

On the Boston Public Schools website, the district states that students can attend with “common” respiratory infections.

COVID LOCKDOWNS INCREASED ADHD RISK AMONG 10-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN, NEW STUDY FINDS

“If the child does not have fever, does not appear to have decreased activity or other symptoms, it is not necessary for the child to stay home,” the guidance says.

Students may also attend if they have vomited once in the past 24 hours — but vomiting two or more times is grounds for staying home, the district stated.

Public health agencies’ recommendations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still adheres to stricter guidelines, stating that people with symptoms of respiratory or gastrointestinal infections, including cough, fever, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea, should stay home.

The CDC also recommends that anyone who experiences symptoms of COVID-19 should be tested for the virus right away.

The AAP states that children should be kept home from school if they’ve had a fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit within the past 24 hours, if they’ve had episodes of vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours, or if they are not well enough to participate in class. (iStock)

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states on its website that children should be kept home from school if they’ve had a fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit within the past 24 hours, if they’ve had episodes of vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours, or if they are not well enough to participate in class.

COLD, FLU, COVID-19 AND RSV: HOW TO IDENTIFY THE DIFFERING SYMPTOMS AND STAY SAFE

“If your child has been ill and is feeling better, but still wakes up with minor problems such like a runny nose or slight head­ache … you can send them to school if none of the three circumstances listed above is present,” the AAP stated. 

The AAP warned of the dangers of “chronic absenteeism,” including lower literacy levels in young children and a higher risk of failing, getting suspended or dropping out among older students. (iStock)

The AAP also warned of the dangers of “chronic absenteeism” — including lower literacy levels in young children and a higher risk of failing, getting suspended or dropping out among older students.

“Chronic absenteeism is also linked with teen substance use, as well as poor health as adults,” the organization added.

Doctors’ input on school policies

Dr. Shana Johnson, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician in Scottsdale, Arizona, said that more relaxed school policies reflect “a better balance” between illness prevention and the impact of absences.

“Sick policies in schools have evolved to reflect the transition from a COVID public health emergency to COVID being endemic, or ever-present, in our communities,” she told Fox News Digital.

“Current policies better balance limiting the spread of disease with the harms of excessive absences.”

“Current policies better balance limiting the spread of disease with the harms of excessive absences, which include detriments to children’s education, social development and mental health,” she added.

The “hard-lined” COVID policies that were enacted in many states resulted in “tremendous harm” to children, Johnson said — including substantial learning loss, arrested social development and a spike in mental health crises.

“Now, four years following the emergence of COVID, we understand the virus better and have vaccines and treatments that reduce the severity of illness it causes,” she said. 

The state of California still recommends 10 days of masking for students who have tested positive for COVID or have respiratory symptoms. (iStock)

“Also, a large portion of the population has been exposed to COVID and has a level of protective immunity,” the doctor added. “All of the above lowers the risk of harm from the virus.”

Sick policies in schools are now more reflective of those in place before the pandemic, according to Johnson. 

“Before the pandemic, children attended school with a mild cold; they stayed home with moderate or severe symptoms such as fever and excessive cough,” she said.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“Some children have back-to-back colds for six months out of the year, especially younger children,” the doctor went on. “The hard-line policies would have these kids out of school for half the year.”

She added, “For a virus that causes mild symptoms in kids, missing half the year is not reasonable.”

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, said that kids with infectious-type symptoms, especially frequent upper respiratory symptoms, should not attend school. (Fox News)

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, said that kids with infectious-type symptoms, especially frequent upper respiratory symptoms, should not attend school at all.

“An occasional cough or sneeze or a confirmed allergy is one thing, but sore throat, cough, body aches or congestion are consistent with an ongoing contagion that is easily spread at school,” he warned. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“Not only that, but there is the issue of the child recuperating and being at full strength.”

During what Siegel described as a particularly bad flu, RSV and COVID season, he stressed the importance of “doing our best to not spread these bugs at school.”

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews/health.

The first fatality from Alaskapox, a type of orthopoxvirus, has been reported on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska.

State officials released a bulletin Feb. 9 detailing that an elderly man contracted the virus in Sept. 2023, likely from an infected stray cat who scratched him.

The man, whose immune system had been suppressed by cancer treatments, first noticed a tender red bump in his underarm. Over the next few weeks, he also experienced fatigue and pain in his arm and shoulder. 

‘ARCTIC ZOMBIE VIRUSES’ COULD BE RELEASED BY CLIMATE CHANGE FROM THAWING PERMAFROST, SOME SCIENTISTS CLAIM

On Nov. 17, the patient was hospitalized with cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection, according to the Alaska Department of Public Health (ADPH).

The man was transferred to a hospital in Anchorage, where a series of tests determined the source of his painful infection. Despite extensive treatment, the patient ultimately died in January 2024 after experiencing malnutrition, acute renal failure and respiratory failure, the bulletin said.

“This is the first case of severe Alaskapox infection resulting in hospitalization and death,” the bulletin stated. 

“The patient’s immunocompromised status likely contributed to illness severity.”

What is Alaskapox?

Alaskapox is similar to other orthopox viruses, such as monkeypox and smallpox — but its symptoms are typically not as severe.

It is a zoonotic virus, which is transmitted between people and animals. 

Alaskapox is spread by small mammals in Alaska, primarily voles.

MEASLES OUTBREAK: UK DECLARES NATIONAL HEALTH INCIDENT OVER RISING CASES

Since the first documented case in Fairbanks in 2015, there have only been six additional cases, including the Kenai Peninsula man who succumbed to the infection.

All cases have affected people who lived in wooded areas and had cared for pets who had been in contact with small mammals.

Skin lesions are a primary symptom of Alaskapox, along with swollen lymph nodes and joint or muscle pain, according to the ADPH. (iStock)

Dr. Aaron Glatt, chair of the department of medicine and chief of infectious diseases at Mt. Sinai South Nassau Hospital in New York, pointed out that although Alaskapox is a type of orthopox virus, it’s “nowhere near” as concerning as smallpox.

“It’s in the same family, but that doesn’t mean it [warrants] the same level of worry for the general public,” he said in a phone call with Fox News Digital. 

“I think it’s something we all should be aware of, but it’s not something that presents a major public health disaster.”

It is more similar to monkeypox than smallpox, the doctor said.

“I think it’s something we all should be aware of, but it’s not something that presents a major public health disaster,” Glatt said.

Spread and symptoms

Although there have been no cases of the virus spreading from person to person, the ADPH recommends that people with skin lesions potentially caused by Alaskapox keep the affected areas covered with a bandage and avoid sharing bedding or other linens.

In addition to the skin lesions, infected patients may experience swollen lymph nodes and joint or muscle pain, according to the ADPH.

Alaskapox is similar to other orthopox viruses, such as monkeypox and smallpox, but its symptoms are typically not as severe. (iStock)

Most patients who have had the virus experienced only mild symptoms that resolved on their own within a few weeks.

“It’s usually a very mild infection, but there’s the potential that it could be more serious in the immunocompromised,” Glatt said. 

“In that case, any mild infection that would normally not cause serious illness can be much more serious.”

“It’s usually a very mild infection, but there’s the potential that it could be more serious in the immunocompromised.”

“It is likely that the virus is present more broadly in Alaska’s small mammals and that more infections in humans have occurred but were not identified,” the ADPH stated. 

“More animal testing is occurring to better understand the distribution of the virus in animal populations throughout Alaska.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

To Glatt’s knowledge, there are no targeted medications specifically for Alaskapox.

“I’m sure that some of the other viral agents that have been used for monkeypox could theoretically have some benefit, but to my knowledge, nobody has tried that,” he said.

As far as whether Alaskapox could spread to other states, Glatt said it’s unlikely at this point.

The patient who succumbed to Alaskapox lived in a wooded area on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. (iStock)

“If it’s an animal vector and the animal is found mostly in Alaska, it’s going to be seen thereabouts,” he told Fox News Digital.

“I can’t tell you that it couldn’t transmit to another area, but at this point in time, it is not a major public health concern.”

The ADPH noted that this was the first case of Alaskapox identified outside the Interior region of Alaska, which could mean the virus is more widespread in the state than previously thought.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“SOE is working with the University of Alaska Museum and CDC to test small mammals for AKPV outside the Interior region,” the agency stated.

Those who suspect they may be infected with Alaskapox can contact the Alaska Section of Epidemiology at 907-269-8000 to facilitate testing and treatment, per the ADPH.

Fox News Digital reached out to the ADPH for additional comment.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews/health.