Scientists have discovered new genes for lung disease which will lead to better treatment, they announced.

Five genetic alternatives linked with the health of the human lung were identified by an international team of almost 100 scientists.

The team, led by Dr Martin Tobin from the University of Leicester and Professor Ian Hall from the University of Nottingham, conducted a research involving a genetic study of 2.5 million sites across the human genome involving samples from 20,000 people across the world. The team said they did not expect their findings to lead instantly to genetic tests to predict who will develop lung disease.

But the discovery of the genes will help scientists know the primary causes of lung diseases and could thus lead to new forms of action for conditions such as asthma, they said.

In the past, it has been difficult to develop new treatments because the molecular pathways that affect the health of the lung were not completely understood. It is hoped the new pathways discovered could in the future be targeted by drugs.

A spokesman for the team said, "This work is important because until now we have known very little about the genetic factors that determine an individual's lung function.

Smoking is the biggest risk factor in developing the disease but genetic variations are believed to predispose people to reduced lung function.