Report of a study done by Andrea Danese of King's College London from "Science News" Feb. 3, 2007(original article appears in the Jan 23, 2007, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science--very prestigious journal):
"child abuse heralds adult inflammation" . article states: "New findings from a long-term investigation indicate that child abuse leads to a potentially dangerous disruption of the body's stress response in adulthood. previously abused individuals display elevated blood concentrations of inflammatory substances that fight infections and repair damaged tissue..."

the research group studied 866 individuals born in Dunedin, NZ, between April, 1972 and March, 1973. medical and psychological testing occurred at regular intervals from ages 3 to 32.

thru home observation and reports from parents and children, 83 participants were identified as having suffered abuse or serious traumas by age 11--including maternal rejection, physical abuse, sexual abuse and 2 or more changes in child's primary caregiver.

At age 32, those participants identified as having been abused had markedly higher concentrations of 2 inflammatory substances, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen, than unabused participants. Abused participants also had elevated white blood cell counts

the researchers accounted for other inflammation promoting factors --ie low birth weight, alcohol use or tobacco use.