Western Reader
Recent research has discovered a surprising link between our ancient ancestors and the current pandemic. Those who have Neanderthal genes are at a significantly higher risk of developing a severe form of COVID-19.
A team of scientists conducted a thorough study on the genetic makeup of individuals affected by the virus, leading to this intriguing finding.
They identified three gene variants on chromosome 3, called the 3p21.31 locus, which are associated with a higher risk of severe COVID-19. These variants were initially found in a Neanderthal remains in Croatia around 50,000 years ago and are still present in millions of people today.
*Scientists in Italy found people with Neanderthal gene variants were more likely to be hospitalized.
The research suggests the variants are a “major genetic risk factor for severe COVID-19.”* https://t.co/UZnX84zWBI via @businessinsider— Data Report (@CovidDataReport) September 18, 2023
According to lead author Professor Hugo Zeberg from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, carrying one copy of the Neanderthal variant increases the risk of severe COVID-19 by 60 to 70 percent.
This risk triples if an individual has two copies, one from each parent. Further studies suggest that the risk could be even higher, with a five-fold increase for those with two copies of the variant.
Interestingly, not everyone carries this variant. It is most common among people of South Asian ethnicity, with approximately 50 percent having it. This genetic difference could contribute to the varying severity of COVID-19 observed among different populations.
In Europe, the variant is less prevalent, with only about 16 percent of people carrying it. Bangladesh has the highest number of carriers at 63 percent.
Additionally, this study sheds light on the historical journey of these genes. Neanderthals, our close human ancestors, lived in Africa alongside early humans for thousands of years before migrating to Europe around 300,000 years ago.
When humans entered Eurasia around 48,000 years ago, they interbred with Neanderthals, resulting in the presence of these genes in today’s human population.
People who carried the Neanderthal gene segment were 2x more likely to develop severe Covid infection than those who didn’t, and 3x more likely to be in the ICU. The Neanderthal haplotype is carried by 50% of people in the Indian Subcontinent https://t.co/ozB7NpB1cS
— Nathan Punwani (@npunwani) September 17, 2023
The research team examined a sample of nearly 1,200 people in the Bergamo province of Italy, which was the epicenter of the pandemic in early 2020.
They found that 33 percent of people in Bergamo with the Neanderthal haplotype, a set of DNA variants along a single chromosome that tend to be inherited together, developed severe cases of COVID-19.
This discovery emphasizes the importance of understanding our genetic heritage and its impact on our health. It also highlights the necessity for personalized medicine and treatments based on individual genetic profiles.
This article appeared in Watch Dog News and has been published here with permission.
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