Genetic links to influenza disease progression were primarily evident in younger individuals, but overall associations were limited and require further study.
Do host genetics impact the risk of disease progression in individuals with influenza?
Host genetics may play a role in influenza disease progression, particularly in younger individuals, but larger studies are needed to overcome phenotypic heterogeneity.
In a geographically diverse cohort of individuals with influenza, the genetic links to disease progression only started to become evident in the sensitivity analyses, mainly when looking at younger individuals. The power to detect associations was limited by the rate of disease progression and heterogeneity in phenotypes of the individuals studied, and therefore, additional studies focused on the role of genetics in influenza disease progression are needed.
Mørup et al. (2026) studied this question. Genetic links to influenza disease progression were primarily evident in younger individuals, but overall associations were limited and require further study.