An international study involving a University of Otago researcher has for the first time used a specific genome scanning technique to identify a gene variant which could explain why some African people are more susceptible to tuberculosis than others.
The disease is estimated to affect around a third of the world’s population, and kills millions annually.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“Genetics was known to be important in determining whether someone’s exposure to the bacteria M. tuberculosis would lead them to develop the disease, Prof Hill said.
“The finding provided a glimpse of where future research might lead and identifying genetic variants could help with breakthroughs in understanding the relationship between humans and the disease.”