New study suggests that people of African descent are more resistant to DHF

UDEA/DICYT Juan Camilo Chacón, 25, who has a MA in Biology from the University of Antioquia, is the co-author of this groundbreaking study. Chacón's brothers died from cystic fibrosis, an incurable hereditary disorder, which caused him to become interested in genetics.

Chacón has a master’s degree in biology and is currently pursuing a PhD in Evolutionary Genetics at University College London (UCL). He is also a member of the Molecular Genetics Research Group (GENMOL) at the University of Antioquia. In addition, Chacón received honorable mention from the National Academy of Medicine in 2013 for his research proposal The relationship between ancestral genetic composition and dengue fever in Colombian population samples, which he wrote as part of his master’s thesis while finishing his MSc in Biology at the University of Antioquia.

“A previous study by Dr. Bertha N. Restrepo, my thesis advisor, showed there is strong evidence that people of African ancestry are more resistant to complications of DHF,” Chacón said.

“Our research focused on finding genetic variants associated with immune response to dengue virus infection. To this end, we evaluated the percentage of genetic blending in candidate genes associated with dengue fever,” he added.

With funding from the Administrative Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation – Colciencias -, Chacón and his colleagues performed a series of DNA tests to detect and quantify the levels of ethnic ancestry in a group of individuals. These tests provide valuable information about a person’s ancestry so that an individual can infer, for example, that he has 82 percent of European ancestry, 6 percent of African ancestry and 12 percent of Native American ancestry.

“The results were then compared with those in our database, which led us to conclude that people of African ancestry have a lower chance of developing a severe form of the disease,” Chacón said.

This study suggests that the development of dengue hemorrhagic fever may be strongly associated with genetic factors, and that people of the same ancestry will not necessarily develop the disease in the same manner.

“This is an approach to better understand the pathogenesis of the disease and could help lead to better treatments for DHF,” he said.

The group of researchers is now attempting to develop a statistical model that could help predict the likelihood of developing a severe form of dengue based on the percentage of African ancestry as well as other relevant factors.

“It is worth noting that any study related to finding genetic factors associated with the dengue should take into account that genetic ancestry may play a major role in the development of the disease,” said Chacón.

The findings of Chacón’s work have been presented at both national and international meetings, and are currently being evaluated for publication in international journals.

Chacón, who has a keen interest in genetic analysis, is currently pursuing a PhD in Evolutionary Genetics at UCL. His current research focuses on understanding the genetics and evolution of Latin American populations.