Evolutionary history may help explain why some people develop more severe COVID-19 than others

Genetic changes resulting from exposure to infectious diseases eons ago can still affect how people respond to illnesses today. (Illustration: Rayne Zaayman-Gallant/EMBL.)

Evolutionary history may help explain why some people develop more severe COVID-19 than others

A USC Dornsife-led study shows how combining evolutionary genetics with infectious disease research can reveal clues about why one disease can affect different people in different ways.

ByUSC Dornsife News August 3, 2026

Share

Copy Link Facebook X LinkedIn Bluesky Email

Key takeaways:

• Researchers found that four immune system genes bear signatures of thousands of years of human evolution.
• The study identified rare variants in a particular gene that were associated with severe COVID-19 and with prior organ transplants, which are linked to greater risk of severe COVID-19.
• Revealing immune system genes shaped by ancient infectious diseases could eventually point to new strategies for disease prevention and treatment.

Every time a virus invades a person, it collides with thousands of years of human history.

A study led by researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Howard University suggests that some of the genes involved in the body’s immune response today bear the marks of ancient battles with infectious diseases.

Read More

The post Evolutionary history may help explain why some people develop more severe COVID-19 than others appeared first on USC Dornsife.