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Subject: [DNA] Haplogroup B and problems with "mycin" antibiotics
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2007 09:07:19 EDT


A mutation at 827G is listed at MitoMap as "under review" for an association
with aminoglycoside-induced deafness. This mutation would be found in all
Native American B2 and some Asian B4 subclades.

Aminoglycosides are a category of antibiotics, which include streptomycin and
several other drugs ending in "mycin" or "micin." Deafness is apparently a
dose-dependent side effect of this class of drugs (also inner-ear balance
problems and ringing in the ears), so it could occur in almost anyone who receives
an excessive amount.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aminoglycoside

As a rule of thumb, mutations which are found deep in a haplogroup division
are considered benign, since selection would have weeded out any deleterious
mutations after hundreds of generations. However, since antibiotics are a novel
challenge, it is conceivable that Native Americans would be more
susceptible.

Yao, on the other hand, argues that the original reports did not take
phylogenetic knowledge into account, and a finding of 827G in a clinic population
could be just a coincidence, since many people in the general population would
have the same mutation.

Yao YG, Salas A, Bravi CM, Bandelt HJ. A reappraisal of complete mtDNA
variation in East Asian families with hearing impairment. Hum Genet. 2006
Jun;119(5):505-15

More studies with larger control groups could help resolve this issue. In the
meantime, I'd like to collect any anecdotal reports from haplogroup B people
who have taken "mycin" antibiotics -- dose, duration, and whether or not you
experienced any hearing loss, balance problems, or ringing in the ears
(tinnitus). Please send these to me off-list .

Ann Turner


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