Chinese genes boost peril from flu: Study
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Nearly a quarter of ethnic Chinese have a tiny genetic variant that boosts sixfold their risk of falling gravely ill when infected with flu, a study published on Tuesday said. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA
PARIS (AFP) - Nearly a quarter of ethnic Chinese have a tiny genetic variant that boosts sixfold their risk of falling gravely ill when infected with flu, a study published on Tuesday said.
Researchers in China and Britain looked at Chinese hospital data from the 2009-2010 pandemic of H1N1 influenza.
Patients who had the minute variant were six times likelier to be treated for severe infection compared with patients who had a different genetic type, they found.
The variation focuses on just a single change in the code of a key gene in the immune system.
