In a conversation with the Hiden site, Prof. David Gurevich, co-author of the article, explains that the gene in question causes serious lung diseases in the homozygous state, but few studies have been conducted in the heterozygous state. The researchers suggest conducting an epidemic genetic survey to locate the carriers and isolate them
Researchers from Tel Aviv University estimate that the carriers of the PiZ and PiS genetic mutations are at high risk of severe morbidity and even death from corona. These mutations are characterized by a lack of the alpha1-antitrypsin protein, which protects the lung tissue against damage from severe inflammatory conditions. Deficiency in this protein is already known from studies on other lung diseases as being related to inflammatory damage to lung function.
As part of the study, the researchers analyzed data from 67 countries, on all different continents. The comparison showed a clear positive correlation between the frequency of mutations in the population and the death rate from corona (adjusted to the size of the population in each country) in many countries such as: the United States, England, Belgium, Spain, Italy and more.
Therefore, the researchers believe that it is possible that these mutations constitute an additional risk factor on top of those already reported as a risk factor for severe morbidity from the corona virus, and therefore they recommend first confirming the findings in clinical studies and, if verified, to conduct extensive population surveys to locate the carriers of the PiZ and PiS genetic mutations for the purpose of social distancing and prevention of infection. and precedence in giving the corona vaccines when the vaccines are available.
The research is led by Prof. David Gurvitz, Prof. Noam Shomron In collaboration with the master's student Guy Shapira from the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University, was published in the scientific journal The FASEB Journal.
The analysis of the databases shows that in Belgium, where 17 out of every 1,000 citizens carry the PiZ mutation, the dominant of the two mutations in question, the death rate of citizens from Corona (as of September 2020) is 860 citizens out of every million. In Spain the picture is similar - 17 out of every 1,000 citizens carry the Piz mutation and the death rate from Corona is 640 out of every million citizens. In the United States, where 15 out of every 1,000 citizens carry the mutation in question, 590 citizens died out of every million.
This trend is also reflected in England, where 14 out of 1,000 citizens carry the mutation and the death rate from Corona is 620 out of a million citizens, in Italy 13 out of 1,000 citizens carry the mutation and the country's death rate from Corona is 620 out of a million citizens, while in Sweden 15 out of 1,000 citizens carry the mutation and the death rate from corona is 570 out of a million citizens.
In contrast, the researchers found that in many countries in East and Southeast Asia and Africa, where the prevalence of the mutation is relatively low, the death rates from Corona are correspondingly low. In Japan, where 9 out of every million citizens died, the incidence rate of the mutations in them is zero. Similar findings also arise in China, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
In light of the data emerging from the study, the researchers believe that in the next step the issue should also be examined in clinical studies and in any case, and until the suitability is confirmed, they recommend that the carriers of the mutations be very careful about social distancing.
The researchers Prof. Gurvitz, Prof. Shomron and Shapira: "From the analysis of the data a clear picture emerges of a correlation between carriers of these mutations and mortality and severe morbidity from corona. We call on the research community to check our work assumption against clinical data, as well as the decision makers in all countries to conduct extensive population surveys to locate the carriers of the mutations, to give them priority in giving the vaccines after they are approved, and in the meantime to warn them that they may be in a significant risk group and must be very careful about social distancing" .
In an interview with the Hidan site, Prof. Gurevich explains that a homozygous condition, meaning two abnormal copies of the gene encoding the alpha-1 antitrypsin protein, causes severe morbidity in lung diseases, especially emphysema (emphysema). But in the heterozygous state (only one abnormal copy) there is almost no morbidity compared to the average in the population, except for hypersensitivity to lung diseases in smokers. "For example, in heterozygous carriers among the thousands of firefighters who participated in the rescue operation of the Twin Towers in New York in 2001, there was more morbidity in lung diseases. In other words, they were more affected in general by heavy exposure to the smoke of the fire."
What is the rate of carriers of these mutations in Israel?
To date, no survey has been conducted that examined this, but since the rate of carriers is high both in Europe and in the Near East (including Iraq, Iran, and North Africa), it is likely that the rate of carriers in Israel is high, similar to these regions.
This is in contrast to the percentage of carriers at least 5 times lower in East and Southeast Asia, as explained in the article.
What is the cause of the differences between the different populations in the rate of mutation carriers?
Prof. Gurevich: "Just as it is not clear why other mutations have different percentages of carriers between different countries. It may be a coincidence, and there may be a reason related to environmental factors that in some areas give an advantage to mutation carriers. Or (more likely) the other way around — carrying a mutation reduces the chance of the carriers reaching adulthood and passing the mutation on to the next generation."
According to Prof. Gurevich, the tests are done in all health insurance funds according to the referral of doctors. In response to our question, he added that the test is included in the comprehensive genetic tests at companies such as 23ANDME and May Heritage, and indeed a test on these sites showed that this gene has been studied in depth.
More of the topic in Hayadan:
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The damage to Americans of Asian origin (Koreans, Japanese) should be checked.
It seems to me that the research is quite shaky, since in East Asian countries not only the severe morbidity is low but also the morbidity in general, and this is also the case in Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia (except for Sweden), Austria and other countries that have managed to curb the spread of the disease.
Proof that the virus is engineered and intended to harm whites of European origin