Association between COVID-19 Infection Susceptibility and ABO Blood Groups and Rhesus Antigen  : COVID-19 Infection Susceptibility and ABO Blood Groups

Muhammad Umer Khan; Nauman Khokhar; Muhammad Ahmad Ashraf; Muhammad Usman Ghani; Saima Younas; Iram Amin; Muhammad Shahid; Inam Ullah; Rakhtasha Munir; Sameen Ahmed

doi:10.54393/pjhs.v4i10.1031

Authors

Muhammad Umer Khan Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
Nauman Khokhar Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
Muhammad Ahmad Ashraf Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
Muhammad Usman Ghani Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Saima Younas Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Iram Amin Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Muhammad Shahid Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Inam Ullah Intitute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
Rakhtasha Munir Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Sameen Ahmed Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54393/pjhs.v4i10.1031

Keywords:

COVID-19, ABO Blood Groups, HBGAs, SARS-COV-2

Abstract

COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is a highly contagious disease that has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization, leading to widespread impacts. Objective: To investigate the potential relationship between ABO blood groups and susceptibility to the coronavirus. Methods: This study was conducted at The University of Lahore between April and September 2021. Blood groups of 528 SARS-CoV2-positive patients admitted to various hospitals in Punjab was calculated by both forward and reverse blood grouping technique. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS version 25.0. Results: The mean age was found to be 41.5 years, with a range of 16-90 years, among which 63.3% were male (n = 334) and 36.7% (n = 194) were female. The data were categorized according to blood group type. A+ (13.4%), A- (8.5%), B- (8.7%), B+ (22.5%), O+ (19.5%), O- (4.9%), AB+ (11.9%), and AB- (10.4%). A, B, and AB were associated with high susceptibility to COVID-19 infection, i.e., 75.5% (n = 399), and less frequent in the O blood group, 24.5% (n = 129). RH (D) ve+ type blood group was highest at 67.5% (n = 356) in COVID-19 patients as compared to the RH (D) –ve type blood group at 32.5% (n = 172), respectively. Conclusions: Individuals with blood groups A, B, and AB have been observed to be more susceptible to COVID-19 than those with blood group O. Similarly, individuals who are RH positive are considered more vulnerable to coronavirus than those who are RH negative.

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