StemCell Therapy

People with blood type O have less of a chance of getting the COVID-19, according to a number of studies published all over the world during the pandemic. Meanwhile, people with type A might be more vulnerable.

After the pandemic broke out, scientists and doctors alike became puzzled by one question, why are some people more susceptible to contracting, and even succumbing to the disease than others?

According to their blog they did a study that contained more than 750,000 participants. Their preliminary data suggests that O blood type appears to be protective against the virus, and people with that type are between 9-18% less likely that other individuals to have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

But how does blood type actually play a role in infection?

Their study included extracting DNA samples from 1,980 COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized for respiratory failure. They scanned the samples using a rapid technique called genotyping, and looked at nearly nine million genetic letters. The researchers then carried out the same experiment on 2,205 blood donors with no evidence of COVID-19. They found that the ill patients shared a number of similar genetic variants compared to those who were not ill.

The scientists were looking for spots in the genome called loci, which they ultimately found. In one of those spots is the gene that determines blood type. Their analysis showed higher risk for A-positive individuals and a protective effect for blood group O.

Blood type is determined by specific sugar molecules that are added to proteins or lipids on our blood cells and other cell types, according to Chemical Science and Engineering news. Those that are in the A blood type group carry A sugar antigens, the same goes for people in the blood type B with B-antigens, however O blood type have neither.

This means that the immune systems of people with type A blood develop antibodies for B antigens, people with type B blood have antibodies for A antigens, and people with type O blood have antibodies for both. Blood type influences blood clotting and a growing body of evidence suggests that COVID-19 pathology often involves overactive blood clotting. People with type O blood have lower levels of proteins that promote blood clotting.

Read this article:
People with blood type O more protected against COVID-19 - studies - The Jerusalem Post

This entry was posted on June 15, 2020 at 6:50 am and is filed under Genetic Engineering. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |