Genetic link to SARS succeptibility

Scientists in Hong Kong believe they have discovered a link between ones genetics and the potentially life threatening SARS infection. Certain gene patterns are more succeptible to falling to the illness than others.

Scientists in Hong Kong believe they have discovered a link between ones genetics and the potentially life threatening SARS infection. Certain gene patterns are more succeptible to falling to the illness than others.A study of SARS patients in Hong Kong showed individuals with a pattern known as HLA-B*0703 were four times as likely to contract the respiratory disease, said Paul Chan, an associate professor in microbiology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Those with a pattern labeled HLA-DRBI*0301 had a much lower risk, indicating genetic make-up may play a key role in determining if some people are more susceptible to the virus than others. “Our findings from this study will help us more accurately diagnose the disease and design effective prevention programs,” Chan said on Thursday. “For example, we could test an unproven vaccine or prevention method on the high-risk group. Hospitals may also consider sending only low-risk health workers to take care of SARS patients,” he said. The Hong Kong researchers examined the blood samples of 90 SARS patients and studied the patterns of their human leucocyte antigen (HLA) genes, which influence the activity of cells that are responsible for the immune system’s response during infections. The results were then compared with samples from people who did not have severe acute respiratory syndrome. More than 1,700 people in Hong Kong contracted SARS last year after it spread from southern China and nearly 300 of them died. Worldwide, more than 8,000 people were infected and more than 800 died. China recently announced its first confirmed SARS case in months and two suspected SARS cases in the southern city of Guangzhou. The government is still awaiting definitive test results on the suspected cases. Another Hong Kong scientist said on Wednesday it was a new variety of the SARS virus that had emerged in China and it appeared to be less contagious than the strain last year. Both are believed to be from the same family of coronaviruses, which also cause the common cold. (Source: Reuters Health, Jan 2004)