New Delhi: COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus can affect anyone. Research shows that the disease affects people so differently – for some, it starts with a cough or fever, for others, it begins with a change in their sense of smell or taste. Research has shown that as many as 80 per cent of infected people are silent carriers and asymptomatic. Studies have also shown that COVID-19 can affect men harder than women. It has been observed that men tend to be more exposed to infection, and the severity of the disease is much more. More men are dying from COVID-19 than women and the potential reasons could range from biology to bad habits.
While many recent studies have shown that women and men were equally likely to contract coronavirus infections, it is the severity of disease in men which has left experts perplexed. It is commonly known that men have a higher incidence of co-morbidities like heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. The fact that men are more likely to smoke than women may increase the risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Men also tend to engage in risky behaviours such as ignoring guidelines, not taking their symptoms as seriously, etc. Experts believe that another reason could be due to the fact that women tend to have a stronger immune system than men. While these common observations do help in understanding the incidence of infection, it does not explain the severity.
According to the WHO, about 63 per cent of deaths linked to COVID-19 in Europe have been among men. The data from India also shows that there is almost 65 per cent:35 percent ratio (male: female) death rate disparity due to COVID-19. Medically, there are various theories that have been discussed to be the reason for this gender bias.
Female is a stronger sex with respect to immune response and resilience. The female hormone oestrogen stimulates the immune response rapidly and also suppresses the SARS-CoV-2 virus replication. The male hormone testosterone, on the other hand, inhibits the body’s own immune response, hence, making males more prone to severe infection. This quality of oestrogen is not only seen in COVID -19 cases, but also in other viral illnesses like influenza.
Another possible reason for this phenomenon is that the genes, which are responsible for identifying a pathogen in body and mount a response to them, are present on the X chromosome. On the other hand, women tend to have more autoimmune problems because of oestrogen and rapid response to immune system, as compared to men.Meanwhile, a sero survey conducted in the city of Mumbai found that more women had developed antibodies to COVID-19, which affirms the fact that women probably had a very minor illness which went unnoticed as compared to men. Hence, while more men went on to develop symptoms, women probably remained largely protected due to their immune response.
Additionally, men tend to ignore or dismiss symptoms of illness and delay seeking medical help, which increases their risk of severity. So, it’s important to make sure that you get tested for the disease if you have any symptoms.
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