This is the blog for GW students taking Human Evolutionary Genetics. This site is for posting interesting tidbits on: the patterns and processes of human genetic variation;human origins and migration; molecular adaptations to environment, lifestyle and disease; ancient and forensic DNA analyses; and genealogical reconstructions.

GWHEG figure

GWHEG figure

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Genetic variants from Neanderthals associated with increased (and decreased!?) risk of severe covid

 


Headlines like this one in the Daily Mail last week seem to contractive headlines from last summer... 

Both studies examined whether genetic variants shared with Neanderthals are associated with an increased risk of covid infection and severity.  And it seems some loci are... with others are associated with a decreased risk. These contradictory results aren't really that surprising as many different genetic factors (and environmental factors) are likely to influence risk.

Note: the study gaining press this month has not yet been published as a peer-reviewed article, but the early study was published in Nature last year.

-posted by Brenda Bradley

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