Genetic Variability of IFNAR2 Gene and Risk of COVID-19 Critical Illness Among the Tunisian Population.
5 affiliations
- 1LR26ES05: Viral Genomics, Architecture and Functions of Macromolecules, Higher Institute of Biotechnology, University of Monastir, B.P. 74, Tahar Haddad Street, Monastir 5000, Tunisia.
- 2USCR-SAG: Genetic Sequencing and Analysis, Higher Institute of Biotechnology, University of Monastir, B.P. 74, Tahar Haddad Street, Monastir 5000, Tunisia.
- 3Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 380, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia.
- 4Salem Ben Hassen Medical Analysis Laboratory, Avenue of 18 January 1952, Monastir 5000, Tunisia.
- 5Department of Virology, Health Sciences College, Western University, 1393 Western Road, London, ON N6G 3K7, Canada.
Abstract
The IFNAR2 gene encodes an essential component of the type I interferon receptor, which is essential for antiviral defense. It has been proven that the severity of COVID-19 may be influenced by the genetic variants in IFNAR2; however, the results are inconclusive in the African cohorts. Thus, in this study, we investigate the association between three IFNAR2 SNPs and the critical form of COVID-19 in the Tunisian population. A total of 413 COVID-19 patients classified as hospitalized with critical illness (ICU) (n = 46) and non-hospitalized (n = 367) are included. Genotyping of three IFNAR2 polymorphisms (rs1051393, rs2236757, rs9984273) was performed using Taq Man RT-PCR assays. rs2236757 (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.16-0.60), p = 4 × 10⁻⁴) and rs9984273 (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.22-0.76, p = 0.0055) were associated with COVID-19 severity with a potential protective effect. However, rs1051393 did not show a significant association with disease severity. Additionally, exploratory haplotype analysis suggested a possible protective association for the TAC haplotype (OR = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.02-0.86, p = 0.036), based on a very small number of carriers and not significant after correction for multiple testing. The GAC haplotype, absent from ICU patients, yielded a continuity-corrected OR of 0.03 (95% CI [0.002-0.53]); this estimate rests on a zero cell and is hypothesis-generating only. These preliminary findings, obtained from a single-center cohort with a limited number of critically ill patients, warrant replication in larger, independent, and multicentric populations.
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BibTeX
@article{azri2026genetic,
title = {{Genetic Variability of IFNAR2 Gene and Risk of COVID-19 Critical Illness Among the Tunisian Population.}},
author = {Abir Azri and Duaa A Althumairy and Hager Memni and Mohammed A Almalki and Ikbel Hadj Hassine and Noureddine Chatti and Jawhar Gharbi and Manel Ben M'hadheb},
journal = {Viruses},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/v18101149},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42944068},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Genetic Variability of IFNAR2 Gene and Risk of COVID-19 Critical Illness Among the Tunisian Population.
AU - Abir Azri
AU - Duaa A Althumairy
AU - Hager Memni
AU - Mohammed A Almalki
AU - Ikbel Hadj Hassine
AU - Noureddine Chatti
AU - Jawhar Gharbi
AU - Manel Ben M'hadheb
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/16
JO - Viruses
DO - 10.3390/v18101149
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42944068
AB - The IFNAR2 gene encodes an essential component of the type I interferon receptor, which is essential for antiviral defense. It has been proven that the severity of COVID-19 may be influenced by the genetic variants in IFNAR2; however, the results are inconclusive in the African cohorts. Thus, in this study, we investigate the association between three IFNAR2 SNPs and the critical form of COVID-19 in the Tunisian population. A total of 413 COVID-19 patients classified as hospitalized with critical illness (ICU) (n = 46) and non-hospitalized (n = 367) are included. Genotyping of three IFNAR2 polymorphisms (rs1051393, rs2236757, rs9984273) was performed using Taq Man RT-PCR assays. rs2236757 (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.16-0.60), p = 4 × 10⁻⁴) and rs9984273 (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.22-0.76, p = 0.0055) were associated with COVID-19 severity with a potential protective effect. However, rs1051393 did not show a significant association with disease severity. Additionally, exploratory haplotype analysis suggested a possible protective association for the TAC haplotype (OR = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.02-0.86, p = 0.036), based on a very small number of carriers and not significant after correction for multiple testing. The GAC haplotype, absent from ICU patients, yielded a continuity-corrected OR of 0.03 (95% CI [0.002-0.53]); this estimate rests on a zero cell and is hypothesis-generating only. These preliminary findings, obtained from a single-center cohort with a limited number of critically ill patients, warrant replication in larger, independent, and multicentric populations.
SN - 1999-4915
ER -