Infectious diseases caused by bacteria and viruses still account for many deaths worldwide, but new research from the University of Vienna links, for the first time, the sweetener fructose to risk of inflammation. Scientists observed that consumption of fructose, in contrast to consumption of the sugar glucose, led to harmful changes in monocytes, important immune cells in the blood. Those changes make the body more receptive to inflammation. That, the authors say, helps understanding of how food components—fructose, in particular, can influence the immune system. They say short-term high-fructose consumption in healthy people can increase inflammation, but longer-term studies are needed to clarify chronic high fructose consumption.