Neanderthal genes are a liability for coronavirus patients: Study

BERLIN - Scientists say genes that some people have inherited from their Neanderthal ancestors may increase the risk of severe Covid-19

Scientists say genes that some people have inherited from their Neanderthal ancestors may increase the likelihood of suffering severe forms of Covid-19.
A study by European scientists published on Wednesday by the journal Nature identifies a cluster of genes that are linked to a higher risk of hospitalisation and respiratory failure in patients who are infected with the new coronavirus.
Researchers Hugo Zeberg and Svante Paabo determined that the genes belong to a group, or haplotype, which likely came from Neanderthals. The haplotype is found in about 16 per cent of the population in Europe and half the population in South Asia, while in Africa and East Asia it is non-existent.
Modern humans and Neanderthals are known to have interbred at various points in history, resulting in an exchange of genes than can still be found today.
The genes are one of several risk factors for Covid-19, including age, sex and pre-existing conditions like obesity, diabetes and heart problems.
The researchers, who work at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, say the prevalence of the particular Neanderthal gene group is highest in people from Bangladesh, where 63 per cent are estimated to carry a copy of the haplotype.
They cite studies from the UK showing that people of Bangladeshi descent have about two times higher risk of dying from Covid-19 than the general population.
"It is striking that the genetic heritage from the Neandertals has such tragic consequences during the current pandemic," Paabo said in a statement. "Why this is must now be investigated as quickly as possible."