Those who are exposed to arsenic have a much harder time fighting off swine flu, according to scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory and Dartmouth Medical School. Arsenic is a common contaminant in well water. The researchers found that when mice were given 100 parts per billion of arsenic in their water their immune response to swine flu was feeble, and when it did kick in the response was too late. Many parts of Mexico have high levels of arsenic in their well water, which the scientists observe could be relevant to the severity of the cases of swine flu found in that country. Testing well water for arsenic is recommended.
