Kosh

Something I've been wondering about.

We've been told that our youngest son is a
"carrier" for strep. Not sure if that means
he's always got it, or just that it doesn't
bother him when he gets it. But it obviously
make him more robust when dealing with sickness.

Wouldn't this be considered a beneficial mutation?
Or this a non-genetic thing?

RufusAtticus

Strep is a bacterial infection, IIRC. In this case he must have had strep at one time and is now immune. He apparently still harbors the nasty buggers and can possibly infect other children. He also could have been born with the immunity, which is usually a good thing as long as the pathogen is still being passed around.

This is not the same as being a recessive carrier for a genetic disease. In such instance you are really asking what is the benifit for diploidy/polyploidy. There's a ton of reasearch currently being done on that question. The most popular answer is that recombination, which can only happen in diploids or polyploids, has major evolutionary benifits in the shuffling of genes.

-RvFvS

[ February 28, 2002: Message edited by: RufusAtticus ]</p>

gallo

Your son's resistance may be genetic. Who know? This is not the same as being a "carrier" of male pattern baldness or sickle cell anemia. To be a strep carrier means that he harbors an inordinate number of strep without clinical symptoms. His system is able to resist the infection. Most probably, he's always got it and it doesn't bother him.

I've heard of medical personnel who were "staph shedders." They harbor an inordinate number of staff without suffering any infections themselves. Usually not a problem unless there is an open wound. Generally not something for your resume if you are in the medical profession.

Oolon Colluphid

Sounds like Tony Blair...