Scots researchers have been able to figure out why some people have more chances of dying from flu as compared to others.

People who are not protected by a certain type of gene are more at risk of potentially life-threatening reactions to the viruses, according to a collaborative study by scientists at Edinburgh University's Roslin Institute and clinicians at NHS Lothian.

Our susceptibility to flu and various other infections completely depends on a type of gene and finding out this gene will lead to paving a way for a screening regime to identify individuals who would benefit from vaccination.

Professor Tim Walsh, a consultant and professor of critical care medicine at Edinburgh University, said that people of all ages can get affected due to this gene and even previously healthy people can have lung problems that can be fatal.

He said, “Many young people required prolonged periods in intensive care during the swine flu pandemic and we had little idea why this small number of people was so severely affected. This study provides some clues as to why this may happen.”