‘COVID-19 severity different from Europeans, South Asians’

CCMB-led international study analyses the role of DNA segment in determining COVID-19 outcomes

In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is still unclear why some people experience more severe symptoms and adverse outcomes than others. An earlier research done on European population suggested variations in a specific DNA segment strongly associated with severe COVID-19 infection and hospitalisation. This DNA segment is present in 50% of South Asians as compared to 16% of Europeans. An international team of scientists have analysed the role of this DNA segment in determining COVID-19 outcomes among the South Asian population and they concluded that the “genetic variants responsible for COVID-19 severity among Europeans may not play a role in COVID-19 susceptibility among South Asians.” This finding has been published in the journal Scientific Reports.