Gene activity patterns linked to severe COVID-19 in children shared with other serious lung infections
Researchers from the University of Southampton and the University of Cape Town, published in BMC Infectious Diseases, analysed blood samples from 333 children in South Africa. They found more than 5,000 genes expressed differently in children with severe infections, and 82 genes that distinguish mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 from severe cases. The study team said larger cohorts are needed before the signatures could become diagnostic tools or treatments.
Bottom line — Lead researcher Negusse Kitaba says the 82-gene signature could serve as a biomarker, but only larger pediatric studies can test that.
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The 333 children came from South Africa, and the team compared severe COVID-19, RSV and pulmonary tuberculosis cases against mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 and healthy controls, according to the research release.
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Ten gene groups showed similar activity across the three lower respiratory infections, with functions tied to immune signaling, cellular regulation and infection pathways, the study reports.
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Professor Heather Zar of the University of Cape Town said the work helps close an evidence gap, since few studies have examined host gene expression in children with COVID-19 globally.
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Mirage News and UCT News republished the same findings with the same sample size and gene counts, indicating the figures come from the original study rather than separate analysis.
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A separate 2023 study in the Ukrainian city of Ternopil, published in Viruses, looked at nine candidate genetic variants in 75 children and reported different risk-allele associations, including a link between ACE2 and male sex, which that study said was not tested in the South African cohort.