A recent study shows that a person's genetic make-up could make them pre-disposed to severe infections. A genetic test has been created to identify people and assess their risk to contracting the Flu. The test is being used to encourage people to get seasonal vaccination. Approximately 1/400 people carry a variant of gene IFITM3 , which "normally encodes a protein that helps the body's cells resist viral infection, but this natural defense is impaired in people who carry the mutated version of the gene."(theGuardian)
I think this is interesting because I personally have never gotten the flu nor the flu vaccine, and thankfully never gotten sick. Now that there is a genetic test to see if a person is pre-disposed to getting seriously ill, maybe it will cut down on how many vaccines need to be administered.
Original Article
I think even if a person carries this gene, it wouldn't hurt to still get vaccinated because even if that person doesn't get sick, he or she could still be carrying the germs and could potentially get someone near them sick.
ReplyDelete