People with two copies of a version of the APOE gene called APOE4 are 14 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease compared to people with two copies of the APOE3 version of the gene. Those people were also more than twice as likely to test positive for the coronavirus than people with two copies of the APOE3 version. The results come from a study of more than 600 people in England diagnosed with coronavirus from March 16th to April 26th, 2020. Of 622 people who tested positive for the coronavirus, 37 had two copies of APOE4. On a population scale, this means that approximately 410 of every 100,000 people with two copies of APOE4 would test positive. That compares with 179 of every 100,000 people with two copies of APOE3 testing positive. As a result, individuals with two copies of APOE4, a gene that raises one’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, are also more susceptible to coronavirus.

Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above?

A) Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease are more likely to be infected with coronaviruscompared to a healthy individual.

B) When a further 40000 people tested positive for coronavirus, more than 35000 of thesepeople had two copies of APOE3.

C) The APOE4 gene results in the development of coronavirus.

D) If an individual has two copies of the APOE3 gene, he or she will not develop Alzheimer’sdisease.

E) An individual who is infected with coronavirus is more likely to develop Alzheimer’sdisease due to the presence of the APOE4 gene.







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