Infections: The Key to Living Beyond 100, Say Scientists.

Scientists studying the DNA of seven centenarians found that they all had a high number of B cells, immune cells, and antibodies needed to fight off infections. The immune profiles of centenarians show a long history of exposure to infections and the capacity to recover from them. Researchers are trying to determine whether catching and beating infections is the key to longevity or whether centenarians are genetically stronger in the immune department. The study identified 25 specific genes that were much more active in the centenarians, revealing a genetic pattern for extreme longevity. However, the scientists cannot yet say definitively whether their results show a hereditary predisposition towards an extremely long life or whether it's all just evidence of their centenarians' seasoned immune systems.