Investigation of Host Genetic Factors in Infectious Diseases: Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM)

Priya Duggal, PhD
Associate Professor, John Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health

Pathogen and host factors both affect infectious disease susceptibility and progression. The host genome influences innate and adaptive immunity and can explain some of the differences in risk of disease and severity among those exposed to the same pathogen. While much attention has recently been focused on improving the understanding of pathogen genomics, the role of host genomics has not been explored to the same extent.

Dr. Duggal will discuss her research on host genetic susceptibility to infectious disease, focusing on Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM). AFM, a rare but serious condition, affects the nervous system, specifically the area of the spinal cord called gray matter, causing the muscles and reflexes in the body to become weak. The etiology of AFM, including the causative agent, remains unclear. Dr. Duggal will show how studies on host genomics can improve our understanding of AFM.