On the First Day, God said, "Let there be light"

There have been some interesting studies done on TB and how to basically get rid of it. My favorite "cure" uses UV rays from sunlight, or I guess a tanning bed would work, too, according to this study. The ultraviolet light creates vitamin D in the body, and with enough, there is an innate TB immunity response turned on, according to this group of researchers.

Well, it's an interesting thought.

This group suggestions that the reason there are higher TB numbers among African American populations is because they have lower UV light absorption, which doesn't activate the immunity response.

Okay, I am following. Go on in detail...

There was a study done showing that chemicals from bugs...vague, but okay...turned on this internal immune response through specific receptors (TLRs). It is through these receptors where all the magic happens. It has already been proven that these TLRs, when activated, kill off TB.

So where do UV rays come into play here?

When the TRLs are turned on, due to the immune response, there is a production of a vitamin D receptor, as well as an enzyme that actually helps to produce active vitamin D.

Ah, and the rays produce vitamin D.

Once this pathway is activated, cathelicidin, AKA the "TB Killer", is produced, which has no problem being the third wheel and will place it's merry self right on the TB virus, causing it to die.

Very slick!

This study supports it's hypothesis by having taken serum from fair skinned individuals, probably ginger people, as well as serum from African Americans. The serum from the gingers had enough of the enzyme, which was producing active vitamin D, to keep the pathway open, creating more and more of the "TB Killer." Whereas the African American serum was skimping out on the goods (the vitamin D maker), and had less of an output of the "TB Killer."

Being a fair skinned maiden, myself, I think this is pretty cool stuff. There are some hard working people out there working their tails off for people like me, and more for people that are suffering.

Hats off to you, good sir, William Wells, with Rockefeller University.

For a more detailed version of "Curing TB with sunlight," http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2063771/