Cystic Fibrosis in Europeans

Written by Anonymous Contributor

In peoples of European descent, diseases like hemochromatosis and cystic fibrosis persist despite natural selection because of concepts such as genetic drift and heterozygote advantage. Research speculates that Hemochromatosis originated with the Vikings; upon colonizing along the European coastline, their small population grew in secluded areas. Through the founder effect, generations of inbreeding ensured that the genetic mutation for hemochromatosis persisted in the population. As for cystic fibrosis, those who carry a copy of the gene have protection against Tuberculosis, a disease that “... caused 20 percent of all the deaths in Europe between 1600 and 1900”, creating an evolutionary pressure for those resistant to the disease (Moalem 21). Carriers of the gene for cystic fibrosis have a heterozygote advantage; while they do not show any symptoms of the disease, they would have protection against Tuberculosis. Thus, those with copies of the gene had a greater chance of living long enough to reproduce and pass on the gene.

This article was written by an anonomous contrubutor of the Elysian Muse Literary Magazine!