By Gavin Mackintosh-
Genetics may explain why some people have never caught Covid-19, according to academics exploring whether some people possess advantageous genetic mutation,or whether they are simply avoiding people and continuing to take precautions
The COVID Human Genetic Effort, led by researchers in the US, has led to the conclusion that some people likely possess genetic attributes that make them immune to catching the coronavirus, setting them apart from people who are asymptomatic , and therefore show no symptoms of the virus, even when they have contracted it.
Researchers examining genetic factors that influence the impact of the virus recruited people with known exposure to the virus, but who haven’t had it themselves to support the inquiry.
Scientists were examining their DNA and looking for unusual mutations that may explain an apparent resistance to SARS-CoV-2 infection including a mutation in the cellular receptors or enzymes needed for the virus to gain entry to our cells, or perhaps a mutation in a gene involved in the immune response to infection.
Studies that reveal anomalies in our DNA, termed genome-wide association studies, have already been able to identify genetic mutations that make some people resistant to other infections like HIV and norovirus (the winter vomiting bug)
University of Surrey Lecturer, Lindsay Broadbent,(pictured) appraised the role genetics possibly play in determining or influencing those who contracted or will one day contract the virus.
Broadbent highlighted that if we can identify the reasons people may be immune to a particular virus then, theoretically, that knowledge could be used to prevent the infection.
Broadbent highlighted the fact that despite the fact some people are immune to norovirus due to vaccine mutations, there are no vaccines or treatment for it. treating the virus, though states that vaccines have been useful in limiting variants of the virus.d the “winter vomiting bug”,
Norovirus is a stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhoea.
The authour said a combination of mutations in multiple genes might render a small number of people immune to COVID, according to researchers.
Targeting multiple genes without causing any unwanted side-effects can make it difficult to harness useful knowledge for anti-COVID drugs.
Broadbent says that understanding the genetic mutations that make someone resistant to COVID could provide valuable insight into how SARS-CoV-2 infects people and causes disease. In other words, it may be interesting scientifically, but perhaps not clinically.
Broadbent says that although SARS-CoV-2 continues to infect people across the world, and is constantly mutating and evolving into new variants, its severity has in general been greatly reduced thanks to effective vaccines.
At the same time, an estimated two million people in the UK report long COVID, of which nearly one-fifth have symptoms so severe the condition significantly limits their day-to-day activities.
While there are a few theories as to what contributes to long COVID, including microclots in the blood and chronic inflammation, we don’t really know why some people are affected and others are not. So perhaps our focus should shift from the genetic determinants of immunity to SARS-CoV-2 to exploring whether some people may have a genetic predisposition to a potentially life-altering chronic disease.
P.S: The original version of this article stated that the authour had discredited the efficacy of vaccines. This error has been corrected to clarify that what the authour in fact stated was that