Genes May Leave Some People More Vulnerable to Severe Covid-19 - The New York Times
This caught my attention as it is the 3rd study I have seen that identified a correlation between severe disease and Blood Group A.
This study went a bit further. nytimes.com/2020/06/03/hea…
This caught my attention as it is the 3rd study I have seen that identified a correlation between severe disease and Blood Group A.
This study went a bit further. nytimes.com/2020/06/03/hea…
Yes. Why do some suffer only mild symptoms and other severe requiring oxygen?
Patients with Blood Group A had a 50% increase in likelihood in needing oxygen or a ventilator.
This makes me quite cautious as I am blood group A.
Patients with Blood Group A had a 50% increase in likelihood in needing oxygen or a ventilator.
This makes me quite cautious as I am blood group A.
But, quite apart from the other risk factors already identified (age, diabetes, Male, coronary heart disease, high BP, BAME, this finding is quite striking.
Scientists are hoping that DNA tests will identify who needs the most aggressive treatments
Scientists are hoping that DNA tests will identify who needs the most aggressive treatments
Doctors took blood samples from 1610 patients who had needed oxygen or ventilator treatment, and extracted the DNA.
They compared this with over 2k samples from people with no evidence of COVID.
They compared this with over 2k samples from people with no evidence of COVID.
The scientists were looking for spots in the genome, called loci, where an unusually high number of the severely ill patients shared the same variants.
Two turned up. One is the gene that determines blood type.
Two turned up. One is the gene that determines blood type.
Maybe it plays a part in an autoimmune over reaction, the cytokine storm.
But the second locus on Chromosone 3 showed an even stronger link, but that spot is home to 6 genes and scientists do not yet know which of them influence COVID 19.
But the second locus on Chromosone 3 showed an even stronger link, but that spot is home to 6 genes and scientists do not yet know which of them influence COVID 19.
One encodes a protein known to interact with ACE2 (that acts as a doorway for CV19 to enter host cells ). But another gene encodes a potent immune-signalling molecule. Is that triggering an over reaction leading to respiratory failure?
46 countries now collecting DNA samples
46 countries now collecting DNA samples
As that research progresses no doubt other genes will come to light that may play a part in the progress of the disease.
Let’s hope they get answers before the virus gets me (or a vaccine arrives in the scene).
Let’s hope they get answers before the virus gets me (or a vaccine arrives in the scene).
So, Mr Johnson, being very effective in identifying outbreaks and crushing them so stopping the spread might be the difference between life and death for people like me.
Herd immunity strategy the reverse.
Herd immunity strategy the reverse.
