Killer Infection: Is It Your Genes?

Abstract

The article focuses on research into the genetics of bacterial and viral disease susceptibility. It states that susceptibility to specific infection types such as Candida can run in families. It mentions geneticist and pediatric immunologist Jean-Laurent Casanova and colleagues identified two gene defects that limit the production of virus-fighting interferons that causes influenza susceptibility, while a category of mutation increases the risk of infection to herpes simplex encephalitis.