They were both young and healthy, but were nevertheless struck by the corona virus. The brothers Bram and Guus from Beek en Donk spent a long time in Radboudumc in Nijmegen. The men had a defective gene that worsens the effects of corona, researchers discovered. Experts hope that other critically ill young corona patients can be better treated with the help of the insights gained.
The researchers discovered the role of the TLR7 gene when a Maastricht UMC + doctor noted that both Bram and Guus were seriously ill due to the coronavirus and had to be given ventilation. Guus (29) even died from the effects of the disease, Bram (31) recovered. It is exceptional that young people get sick from corona, most of them only have mild complaints.
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Congenital anomaly
“Getting sick from an infection is always an interplay between – in this case – the virus and the immune system of humans,” explains geneticist Alexander Hoischen. “It may be a coincidence that two brothers from the same family become so seriously ill. But it is also possible that a congenital defect in the immune system played an important role in them. We investigated the latter with our multidisciplinary team at Radboud university medical center. “
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TLR genes play an important role in recognizing pathogens and activating the innate immune system. “It seems as if the virus can just go ahead, because the immune system doesn’t get a message that the virus has invaded. Because TLR7, which must identify the intruder and then activate the immune system, is hardly present, if at all. may be the reason for the serious course of the disease. “
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