Articles Genomics Articles

COVID-19 Outcomes and the Human Genome

Published time: 12 May 2020

Authors: Michael F. Murray MD, Eimear E. Kenny PhD, Marylyn D. Ritchie PhD, Daniel J. Rader MD, Allen E. Bale MD, Monica A. Giovanni MS, CGC & Noura S. Abul-Husn MD, PhD

Keywords: Covid-19, genetics, pandemics, complex interaction, microbe.


Abstract

In the COVID-19 pandemic, the opportunity to link host genomic factors to the highly variable clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection has been widely recognized.1,2 The overt motivation for this research is the clinical implementation of any new insights to improve clinical management and foster better patient outcomes.

Human infection is a complex interaction between the microbe, the environment, and the human host.3 Variation in the human genome has only rarely been linked to complete resistance to infection by a specific microbe; far more commonly host genomic variability has been linked to complications associated with infections (see Table 1).3,4,5 In this pandemic, the ability to identify host genomic factors that increase susceptibility or resistance to the complications of COVID-19 and to translate these findings to improved patient care should be the goal.


COVID-19 outcomes and the human genome

 

Reference: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41436-020-0832-3

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