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Neanderthal genes linked to severe COVID-19; Mosquitoes cannot transmit the coronavirus

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Neanderthal genes linked to severe COVID-19; Mosquitoes cannot transmit the coronavirus

By Nancy Lapid

 

2020-10-01T045149Z_1_LYNXMPEG9034W_RTROPTP_4_HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS-BRITAIN-MANCHESTER.JPG

A man wearing a protective face mask walks past an illustration of a virus outside a regional science centre, as the city and surrounding areas face local restrictions in an effort to avoid a local lockdown being forced upon the region, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Oldham, Britain August 3, 2020. REUTERS/Phil Noble/Files

 

(Reuters) - The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.

 

Neanderthal genes linked with severe COVID-19

 

A group of genes passed down from extinct human cousins is linked with a higher risk for severe COVID-19, researchers say. When they compared the genetic profiles of about 3,200 hospitalized COVID-19 patients and nearly 900,000 people from the general population, they found that a cluster of genes on chromosome 3 inherited from Neanderthals who lived more than 50,000 years ago is linked with 60% higher odds of needing hospitalization. People with COVID-19 who inherited this gene cluster are also more likely to need artificial breathing assistance, coauthor Hugo Zeberg of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology said in a news release. The prevalence of these genes varies widely, according to a report published on Wednesday in Nature. In South Asia, roughly 30% of people have them, compared to roughly one in six Europeans. They are almost non-existent in Africa and East Asia. While the study cannot explain why these particular genes confer a higher risk, the authors conclude, "with respect to the current pandemic, it is clear that gene flow from Neanderthals has tragic consequences." (https://go.nature.com/36lHwnC)

 

Mosquitoes cannot transmit COVID-19

 

A mosquito that bites a person with COVID-19 cannot pass the coronavirus infection to its next victim, according to a study by researchers from U.S. Department of Agriculture and Kansas State University. Mosquitoes are notorious disease carriers, transmitting West Nile virus, Zika, and many other viruses from person to person and among animals. In laboratory experiments, researchers allowed several species of disease-carrying mosquitoes, plus some other biting insects, to feed on blood spiked with the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. The virus was unable to survive and replicate itself in any of the insects, they reported in a paper posted on Wednesday on bioRxiv ahead of peer review. "Biting insects do not pose a risk for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to humans or animals," the researchers said. (https://bit.ly/3jgeLMw)

 

Moderna vaccine passes safety test in older patients

 

Results from an early safety study of Moderna Inc's coronavirus vaccine candidate in older adults showed that it produced immune responses at levels similar to those seen in younger adults, with side effects roughly on par with high-dose flu shots, researchers reported on Tuesday in The New England Journal of Medicine. The findings are reassuring because immunity tends to weaken with age, coauthor Dr. Evan Anderson of Emory University in Atlanta told Reuters. The trial involved 20 adults aged 56 to 70 and another 20 aged 71 and older. Side effects included headache, fatigue, body aches, chills and injection site pain. In most cases, these were mild to moderate. "This is similar to what a lot of older adults are going to experience with the high dose influenza vaccine," Anderson said. Moderna is already testing the vaccine in a large Phase III trial, the final stage before seeking emergency authorization or approval. (https://bit.ly/3ihdvrp; https://reut.rs/3cL77HN)

 

Hydroxychloroquine fails to prevent COVID-19

 

A malaria drug taken by U.S. President Donald Trump to prevent COVID-19 did not help prevent coronavirus infections in healthcare workers in a gold-standard randomized controlled trial conducted at the University of Pennsylvania. The new research, published on Wednesday in JAMA Internal Medicine, shows that routine use of the drug, hydroxychloroquine, cannot be recommended to healthcare workers for prevention of COVID-19, researchers said. The study largely confirms results from a similar trial conducted at the University of Minnesota in which hydroxychloroquine failed to prevent infection among people exposed to the new coronavirus. (https://bit.ly/3ldgMdd; https://bit.ly/34eErTl; https://reut.rs/3cM7wty)

 

Immune differences seen in children with inflammatory syndrome after COVID-19

 

A new study may shed light on why some youngsters develop the rare and dangerous multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) after recovering from COVID-19 while most do not. The syndrome can cause severe inflammation of blood vessels, the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs. The immune system is more highly activated in children with MIS-C than in those with COVID-19, study co-author Dr. John Wherry of University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine told Reuters. However, in MIS-C patients, the activated immune system quickly settles down, and symptoms improve, often faster than during a bout with COVID-19. Wherry noted a possible connection between a specific type of activated immune cell in children with MIS-C and some of the vascular complications seen in that condition as well as in COVID-19. "The identification of an immune cell type connected to vascular symptoms may identify a new (treatment) target if approaches can be developed to target such cells," he said. The study was published on Sunday on medRxiv ahead of peer review. (https://bit.ly/3n2KFyp)

 

Open https://tmsnrt.rs/3a5EyDh in an external browser for a Reuters graphic on vaccines and treatments in development.

 

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-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-10-01
 
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scammed Gold Member

scammed

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i dont believe in this hypothesis tbh,

africans and native americans are even much less tolerant

to cv19, or any other virus for that matter,

yet has no neanderthal genes at all.

 

rather i think its inherited from generations exposed to all sort of <deleted> from china for over one millenia, with asians being most resistant

and then in a falling scale india/europeans/arabs

Edited by scammed
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richard_smith237 Star Member

richard_smith237

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1 hour ago, scammed said:

i dont believe in this hypothesis tbh,

africans and native americans are even much less tolerant

to cv19, or any other virus for that matter,

yet has no neanderthal genes at all.

 

rather i think its inherited from generations exposed to all sort of <deleted> from china for over one millenia, with asians being most resistant

and then in a falling scale india/europeans/arabs

 

The paper outlining the link with Neanderthal DNA also highlights Africa being low risk - i.e. Genome testing has identified the absence Neanderthal Core haplotype in Africa and East Asia. 

 

The Johns Hopkins Covid-19 Distribution map shows that East Asia and Africa have a reduced incidence of Covid-19 cumulatively, currently and rate of spread. 

 

There may very well be something missing from the Genes of Amazonian's, Africans and East Asians which has evolved ‘out’ through selection over the past 40,000 years resulting in less susceptibility to Covid-19. 

 

 

 

 

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Screenshot 2020-10-02 at 12.30.58.png

Screenshot 2020-10-02 at 12.31.08.png

Edited by richard_smith237
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Flying Saucage Gold Member

Flying Saucage

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There is another recent study of Monica Ghandi et al of the University of California San Francisco and published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, which should have been mentioned.

 

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-masks-boost-covid-immunity.html

 

It is primarily about masks, but also very importantly it says that an infection with a low load of viruses is not necessarily negative. In the opposite, it might be positive, as it creates immunity and hence increases herd immunity.

 

So, besides the missing Neanderthal gene one more reason for the Thai populace to relax a little about Covid.

 

The Thai government and their mouthpieces Yong and Thira will not like it, though.

 

Edited by Flying Saucage
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Credo Ruby Member

Credo

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10 hours ago, scammed said:

i dont believe in this hypothesis tbh,

africans and native americans are even much less tolerant

to cv19, or any other virus for that matter,

yet has no neanderthal genes at all.

 

rather i think its inherited from generations exposed to all sort of <deleted> from china for over one millenia, with asians being most resistant

and then in a falling scale india/europeans/arabs

Europeans have the greatest mix of Neanderthal genes.  As you move Eastward from Europe the amount decreases and the mix is with another extinct human species.   

 

Africans have been largely spared considering the horrible, crowded conditions in many sub-Saharan countries.   African-Americans are seldom purely African and many, if not most, have a fair amount of mixed heritage with Europeans.   

 

All that said, the risk factors are the risk factors and all this tells us that some people are genetically more or less likely to get the virus.   

 

If you remember SARS, it was found that Asians were significantly more likely to catch it than Westerners.  

 

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scammed Gold Member

scammed

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7 hours ago, Credo said:

Europeans have the greatest mix of Neanderthal genes.  As you move Eastward from Europe the amount decreases and the mix is with another extinct human species.   

 

Africans have been largely spared considering the horrible, crowded conditions in many sub-Saharan countries.   African-Americans are seldom purely African and many, if not most, have a fair amount of mixed heritage with Europeans.   

 

All that said, the risk factors are the risk factors and all this tells us that some people are genetically more or less likely to get the virus.   

 

If you remember SARS, it was found that Asians were significantly more likely to catch it than Westerners.  

 

in sweden, a very disproportionate amount of african immigrants

died from cv19

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Credo Ruby Member

Credo

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2 hours ago, scammed said:

in sweden, a very disproportionate amount of african immigrants

died from cv19

No known group has a significant immunity.   I haven't seen any statistics on African immigrants to Sweden, but I have read some reports about it.   One of the theories is the lower levels of Vitamin D.  People with dark skin produce less and the lack of sunshine in the Nordic countries was speculated to be a contributing factor.   

 

I think the point being made is that for some reason Africans in Africa seem to be doing better than expected.

 

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