Is the risk of dying from complications from infection with the emerging corona virus that causes Covid-19 disease related to genes?
Does this mean that there is a genetic predisposition in some people?
Since the beginning of the Corona pandemic, scientists have been trying to study and uncover the mystery of why the Corona virus causes mild or no symptoms in some people, while others enter the recovery room?
A recent study published in the journal "Nature" examined the genetic mechanisms associated with severe cases of Covid-19, and found 5 major genes associated with the acute case of Covid-19.
"Reuters" (Reuters) quoted scientists as saying that there are 5 main genes linked to the most severe forms of the emerging corona virus disease, in research that also indicated several existing drugs that can be reused to treat people at risk of serious cases of Covid-19.
And the researchers, who studied the DNA of 2,700 coronavirus patients in 208 intensive care units across Britain, found that 5 genes involved in two molecular processes - antiviral immunity and pneumonia - were fundamental to many severe cases.
"Our results immediately spotlight which drugs should be at the top of the clinical test list," said Kenneth Bailey, an academic advisor in critical care medicine at the University of Edinburgh who co-led the research.
The genes - called IFNAR2, TYK2, OAS1, DPP9, and CCR2 - are the genes - called IFNAR2. (CCR2) - It partly explains why some people get severe cases of COVID-19, while others are unaffected.
The following diagram shows 9 of the most prominent symptoms of Corona virus, and to find out a detailed list of symptoms of Corona infection, click on this link.
Genetic variants
A study published on medrxiv last month had identified genetic variants to increase the risk of death associated with Covid-19, and the study has not yet been peer-reviewed.
The researchers said at the time that the severity of Covid-19 disease is not homogeneous, as studies reported that males and some ethnic groups are at increased risk of death from Covid-19.
This means that the individual risk of death may be affected by the genetic factors of the host (i.e. the person who has been infected with the infection).
The researchers found specific risk factors on chromosomes 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 16 and 17 are "genetic variants" and genes.
However, the attempt to link corona deaths to genetics may not be accurate.
It may be, for example, for people from the same family who share poor health conditions, such as the lack of medical coverage, and this is the reason that makes them more vulnerable to complications.
The risk of gene blaming
Dr. Kent Seppowitz wrote on CNN - last June - about "the risk of blaming our genes for Covid-19 deaths."
Sipkowitz said that finding the gene is one thing, and whether this gene identifies an indisputable cause of Covid-19 death is another thing, adding that in many cases, luck, exercise and a good diet still play a role in reducing the risk of disease.
Therefore, it can be seen that even in the recent study in the journal Nature, the scientists said that the results could help speed up the search for potential drugs for Covid-19, by conducting clinical trials of drugs that target specific antiviral and inflammatory pathways.
Genetics may play a role in many diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer, and it may play a role in complications of Covid-19, and the matter is still under study.
But heredity is out of our control, in return, adherence to social distancing, personal hygiene and wearing masks are all things we can control, and it is the best way to protect ourselves, and those we love from Covid-19.