A common genetic mutation doubles the risk of death from the virus but protects against AIDS

Genetic predisposition to Covid is no longer a simple hypothesis.

Several studies have shown that certain populations are more affected by the virus and develop into more severe forms due to genetic factors.

A vulnerability caused by a genetic mutation believed to be thousands of years old, 50,000 to 70,000 years ago.

The gene was identified and isolated before it could be understood

After revealing racial disparities in Covid deaths from data collected on millions of Britons, published last June on Springer LinkThe researchers wanted to know more.

The explanation of the genetic pathway was conceived very quickly, especially with the study of New England Journal of Medicine in June 2020 who reported a genetic modification on chromosome 3.

Then other researchers were able to isolate and identify The gene located on chromosome 3 – This would explain the dangerous forms that some Covid patients have developed, as published in natural genetics In November

It turns out that the last Double the risk of death from respiratory distress In the event of infection with the Corona virus.

This gene will be present in about 50% to 60% of the population of South Asia and in more than 15% of Europeans.

The boom does not mean Africa

Why are some populations more at risk? From this assumption, other researchers focused on the topic to realize that this genetic vulnerability practically does not imply the African population.

So they can pretend in their research, as published in an article by nature Last September, it was a legacy of Neanderthals, because you should know that Homo sapiens mixed with Neanderthals as soon as they left Africa.

Why is this mutation widespread in the world?

And those same scholars who shed light on the heritage of Neanderthals took their research on this topic even further.

Once it was determined that genes mutated on this chromosome 3 make Covid patients vulnerable, they wondered why such a mutation occurred thousands of years ago and whether it did not intervene to protect itself against certain viruses.

Therefore, this hypothesis was the subject of the research and its results will be published in PNAS On March 1st, which is already the subject of an introductory post.

Indeed, as the authors of the publication explain: “Since this genetic variant is so widespread, that is, so prevalent in the world, it is interesting to ask whether it can protect against pathogens other than Covid, today but also in the past.”

Then they peeled back the genetic data.

Protective mutations against HIV…

During their work they discovered that “this mutation protects against HIV infection and possibly also against smallpox.”

The results showed that this genetic variant at risk for Covid patients would be protective in the case of HIV infection, with risks. About 27% lessWhat is important.

Because of the recent rise in HIV and AIDS, a genetic mutation dating back thousands of years cannot be made to protect people from this virus.

Remember that genetic mutations happen for the survival of species.

… but also against other viruses and bacteria

So scientists are confident that this genetic mutation provides protection against other viruses that were common in the Neanderthal era, it is reported. Science and the future†

According to the research, “the smallpox virus appeared more than 10,000 years ago, making smallpox a likely candidate, while the plague appeared much later, about 7,000 years ago.”

In addition, the author of the publication adds: “The highest mutations today coincide with the regions where cholera is endemic.

So this gene variant, carried by millions of people around the world, could be a possible result of a mutation to protect against smallpox or cholera.

And even if you weaken the carriers of this mutation during an epidemic, you can protect them during a future epidemic …