Scientists from a laboratory in Hamilton, Montana were working with Ebola-infected mice and have found out that the genes of the infected host can determine whether viral infection can be deemed as fatal or not. They suggest that because of a person's genes, the severity of the viral infection can be determined if it can cause damage or not.
The study was published in the journal Science and the researchers hope that their study which revolves around how genes can react to Ebola can contribute to the speed of vaccine development and drug invention to curb the fatal virus that has killed more than 7,000 people in West Africa. It has infected more than 17,000 people.
There were previous studies linking a characteristic in the body of the host that prevents the virus from causing fatal damages in the body. However, the past studies did not explain this type of response of the virus. It can be found in a reliable animal study that can be used in a secure laboratory.
The scientists took genetically diverse mice that were developed to study influena and its link to genes. They used them to breed and replicate the main features of the potentially deadly virus, Ebola. They discovered that all of the mice lost weight after infection but 19% of them were not severely affected. They survived the infection and regained their weight back in just two weeks. However, 11% showed partial resistance to Ebola has half of this group died. The remaining 70% showed severe complication wherein half died too.
After they examine the genetic make-up of the groups of mice, they found out that the severity of Ebola infection and death rate was associated to those with specific gene patterns. They concluded that the mice infected with Ebola and with serious complications had their genes activated to promote blood vessel inflammation and cell death while those who survived had their genes activated to control blood vessel repair and production of immune cells to battle the infection.
