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http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-g ... -mild.html

Genetics of flu susceptibility: Researchers find gene that can transform mild influenza to a life-threatening disease

A genetic finding could help explain why influenza becomes a life-threating disease to some people while it has only mild effects in others. New research led by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute has identified for the first time a human gene that influences how we respond to influenza infection.

"Since IFITM3 appears to be a first line defender against infection, our efforts suggest that individuals and populations with less IFITM3 activity may be at increased risk during a pandemic and that IFITM3 could be vital for defending human populations against other viruses such as avian influenza virus and dengue virus" says Dr. Abraham Brass, co-senior author and Assistant Professor at the Ragon Institute and Gastrointestinal Unit of Massachusetts General Hospital.