Swedish Genetic Variant Grants Immunity Against Winter Vomiting Disease
About 20% of Swedes carry a gene variant providing immunity against winter vomiting disease, tracing back to early farming migrations over 8,000 years ago.
- • 20% of Swedes have a genetic variant protecting them from winter vomiting disease.
- • The protective gene spread to Europe with early farmers from present-day Turkey around 6000 BC.
- • The research analyzed DNA from about 4,300 ancient individuals over 10,000 years.
- • Carriers may face higher risks of stomach ulcers and gallstones later in life.
Key details
Recent research by scientists from Karolinska Institute and Linköping University has identified that approximately 20% of the Swedish population carries a genetic variant conferring immunity to winter vomiting disease, commonly caused by norovirus infection. This "broken gene" prevents the virus from infecting intestinal cells, offering significant protection against the highly contagious illness.
The study analyzed the genomes of around 4,300 ancient individuals from the last 10,000 years, revealing that the protective gene variant likely originated with early farmers migrating from present-day Turkey around 6000 BC. As agricultural lifestyles increased population density and introduced sanitation challenges, the virus spread more readily, and so did the gene variant.
Although winter vomiting disease generally resolves within a few days, it poses risks in vulnerable populations, such as nursing home residents. The frequency of this genetic immunity has plateaued in modern times, correlating with decreased norovirus fatality due to improved conditions. However, carriers of the gene may have heightened risks for stomach ulcers and gallstones, potentially linked to lifestyle changes since the era of early farming.
These findings were detailed in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, underscoring how historical human migrations and societal changes have shaped modern genetic defenses against common illnesses.