Defenses Down: Mutation boosts West Nile risk
By Nathan Seppa
A genetic mutation has been identified that increases a person’s susceptibility to West Nile virus, a new study indicates. Ironically, this mutation had previously been shown to provide a barrier against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
The protein eliminated by the mutation was previously thought to be useless and even a liability. The new finding suggests that it might be an essential weapon in fending off the mosquito-borne virus, says Philip M. Murphy, an immunologist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, Md.