Prioritizing Flu Immunisations Based on Genetic Testing

As cold and flu season lingers in the near future, scientists have been researching different factors that affect how severely an individual suffers from flu symptoms. Researchers are now saying that there could be a genetic link that could explain how seriously a person can suffer from the flu. About one in 400 people carries a mutated gene called IFITM3 that increases their chances of suffering a serious illness when infected with the flu virus. When functioning properly, the IFITM3 gene encodes a protein that helps the body's cells resist viral infections. Paul Kellam, a virus geneticist, believes that testing for this mutated gene could help doctors identify individuals who are not usually seen as being at risk for infection. To solidify the belief that this variant in the IFITM3 gene can cause people to suffer more severely when infected by the flu, a US-Chinese team looked into those infected by the swine flue or bird flu. Of the 445 infected with either the swine flu or bird flu, individuals who carried the IFITM3 gene mutation were 24% more likely to have suffered a severe infection. Kellam hopes that this discovery of the IFITM3 mutation and its influence on an individual's defenses against an infection will lead to new anti-viral drugs that are more likely to help people resist infection. For those who do carry the IFITM3 variant, researchers are looking into methods of boosting the IFITM3 protein to help people better resist the infection.

Personally, I believe that everyone should be vaccinated for the flu, regardless of genetic makeup. While there are groups of people who are more likely to become infected, it just makes sense to me that everyone should want to lessen their chances of getting the flu. Even though the vaccines won't prevent everyone from getting the flu, it should help decrease the severity of the infection once infected. Hopefully research being performed by Kellam and other scientists will help people understand the importance of being vaccinated.

The original article can be found here.