SEX DIFFERENCES IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Book Aims at Being a Resource to Medical Research

Washington, DC (December 16, 2009) – At a time when an infectious disease makes international headlines, sending Americans to wait in line for hours for a standard dose of H1N1 vaccine, the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences (OSSD), the scientific partner of the Society for Women’s Health Research announces the release of Sex Hormones and Immunity to Infection, a reference resource for researchers, clinicians, teachers, and PhD students in endocrinology and immunology.

Sex Hormones and Immunity to Infection addresses the importance of understanding the differences in the immune system of men and women. “There is a growing interest among the scientific community to understand how the differences between men and women’s immune systems may impact our understanding of infectious diseases. While it is known that infectious diseases affect males more frequently and intensely, the greater immunity that females experience also makes them more vulnerable to developing autoimmune diseases,” says Sabra L. Klein, Assistant professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Sex Hormones and Immunity to Infection offers new perspectives for the treatment and management of infectious diseases, highlights areas where sex differences research is lacking and suggests questions for additional research.  By analyzing differing immune responses to infection in males and females, the role that biological sex plays may be answered.  At the same time, if males and females differ in their immune responses, the possibility exists that they also may differ in their responses to treatments.

“Our hope is that this book will encourage future research bringing the scientific community closer to answering the question of why and how sex matters in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases. The result will inevitably improve the health care for women and men.” says Phyllis Greenberger, M.S.W, President of Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR).

ABOUT SEX HORMONES AND IMMUNITY TO INFECTION
Sex Hormones and Immunity to Infection is organized along six broad thematic areas: 1) the evolution of sex differences in susceptibility to infection; 2) direct effects of steroid hormones on the functioning of the immune system; 3) known evidence of sex differences in response to viruses, bacteria and parasites; 4) the female immunological supremacy is not applicable to all parasites; 5) pregnancy and sex steroid modulation of the maternal immune responses; and 6) if males and females differ in their immunological responses to pathogens, they may also differ in their response to treatments.

ABOUT OSSD
The Organization for the Study of Sex Differences (OSSD) is the scientific partner of SWHR. OSSD works to enhance the knowledge of sex/gender differences by facilitating interdisciplinary communication and collaboration among scientists and clinicians of diverse backgrounds.

ABOUT SWHR
The Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR), based in Washington DC, is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the health of all women through advocacy, education and research.  Founded in 1990, the Society brought to national attention the need for the appropriate inclusion of women in major medical research studies and the need for more information about conditions affecting women disproportionately, predominately, or differently than men.  The Society advocates increased funding for research on women’s health; encourages the study of sex differences that may affect the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease; promotes the inclusion of women in medical research studies; and informs women, providers, policy makers and media about contemporary women’s health issues.

For more information on the SWHR and its scientific partner - OSSD, contact Syieda Penn, Communications Manager at 202-496-5001 or syieda@womenshealthresearch.org.