- Breakthrough Discovery
- Genetic profile more important than comorbidities
- This discovery could stop a pandemic
A genetic variant has been identified that predisposes to the severe course of COVID-19. It doubles the risk of developing the disease and dying from it. This breakthrough discovery was made by scientists from the Medical University of Bialystok. - The consequence of this will be the creation of a genetic test that quickly identifies whether a patient has this gene - said the Minister of He alth Adam Niedzielski during a press conference.
- Today we have a special moment, a special day - a day important for all Polish science, but above all a day very important for the medical care system, for the he alth of Poles. We have managed to identify (…) a very important risk element when it comes to developing covid, that is, the risk element related to the genetic structure - said Minister of He alth Adam Niedzielski at a conference at the Medical University of Bialystok.
As he added, thanks to more than a year and a half of work by Polish scientists, it was possible to identify the factor "classified as the fourth in the hierarchy when it comes to the severity of undergoing covid".
The head of the he alth ministry said that this factor is a specific gene .-- The consequence of the discovery of this gene will be the creation of an appropriate genetic test that will - like PCR - quickly identify whether the patient has this gene and is at higher risk - he added .
Breakthrough Discovery
As part of the study, 1.5 thousand people were examined COVID-19 patients. According to Polish scientists, even about 14 percent. Poles may have a genetic variant that more than doubles the risk of severe COVID-19 and death from this disease. However, it may occur in 9 percent. European population.
The authors of the study say that "their discovery may help in the early identification of those most at risk". It is also the basis for the development of a genetic test that would identify people with such a genetic variant.
Genetic profile more important than comorbidities
What else did the analysis show? Severe risk factors for COVID-19 are age, obesity, and in particular, a genetic profile that may be even more important than comorbidities.
"Having one of the versions of the genelocated on chromosome 3 means that in the case of coronavirus infection, we are more than twice as likely to suffer from severe and even fatal COVID-19 "- reads a release from the Medical University of Bialystok (UMB).
Although the results of the research are so far a scientific discovery, scientists from MUB hope that on their basis it will be possible to develop a test that identifies people at higher risk of severe COVID-19 for patients. They want it to be widely available to doctors, patients and diagnosticians.
The project manager, prof. Marcin Moniuszko, vice-rector for science and development of the Medical University of Bialystok, conveying that this test would "help to better identify people who, in the event of infection, may be exposed to an acute course of the disease, even before the infection occurs." Then such people could receive special care in advance, greater protection, both prophylactic (additional doses of protective vaccinations) and medical (new therapies directed against SARS-CoV-2 - he added.
This discovery could stop a pandemic
These results were obtained as part of the work on a project co-financed by the Medical Research Agency in cooperation with the Institute of Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis in Warsaw and the technology company ImageneMe. A dozen or so clinical centers in Poland were involved in the study.
According to the president of the Medical Research Agency, Radosław Sierpiński, thanks to this discovery, it is possible to stop the development of the pandemic. As he explained, "Polish innovative solutions go directly to the he alth care system, affecting not only its efficiency, but most importantly, protecting the he alth and life of Polish patients."