Experts have forged doubt on the notion that people adapted to respiration the rarefied air at high altitudes are less susceptible to severe COVID-19 as a result.
A recent analysis found that, compared with lowland areas, there’s a lower incidence of severe COVID-19 in Tibet and parts of Bolivia and the Republic of Ecuador that are over 2,500 meters on top of sea level.
The lead study author from the college of medicine at Laval University in Quebec, Canada — and colleagues argued that physiological acclimation or specific environmental characteristics related to high altitude could protect people from SARS-CoV-2. This is the virus that causes COVID-19.
The international group of scientists planned several mechanisms to elucidate this possible resistance to infection. These included having fewer of the cell receptors that the virus uses to invade cells and having a better tolerance of low oxygen concentrations in their tissues.
Besides, they suggested that the virus might not survive well in the cold, dry conditions at high altitudes, which might cut back its transmission.
However, another group of scientists has currently urged caution in interpreting this proof.
The people working on this report were led by high altitude specialists that have described the reported lower incidence of COVID-19 as “intriguing.” However, they assert that there are many different explanations.
They suggest that some low-lying countries, such as the island nations of the Pacific, also have very low incidences of the infection.
The team and the lead researcher urged that physiological adaptation to low oxygen levels in people living at high altitudes could result in their cells having fewer ACE2 receptors.
ACE2 is the main receptor in the cell membranes which the virus uses to invade the cells.
However, evidence concerning the result of low blood oxygen levels on the amount of ACE2 receptors is mixed, says Pun, and colleagues.
Although some analysis in cell cultures and animal models has found a decrease in the production of ACE2 underneath these conditions, alternative studies found an increase.
The different thing about this, the scientists wrote, there have been no investigations in either animal or people into the result of low oxygen levels on the production or “expression” of ACE2 within the cells lining the respiratory tract. This can be where the virus initially infects cells following inhalation.
“Furthermore,” they write, “any such experimental observations on [low oxygen] exposure might not be relevant to genetically adapt high altitude populations similar to Tibetans, Sherpas, Andeans, Ethiopian highlanders, or those not of those ethnic groups, who were born and raised at high altitude.”
