Host genetics and sex can steer flu toward greater virulence, mouse experiments reveal

MedicalXpress | avr. 30, 2026

During the early stages of a pandemic, viruses tend to evolve in ways that enhance their ability to reproduce and spread, rather than to evade the host's immune system. The genetics and sex of the host influence how a novel virus adapts to a new environment, but scientists don't fully understand how these factors work individually or together.