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In a recent study published on March 3, 2021 on scientific journal Blood Advances, scientists have discovered what they believe to be a natural blood type preference for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The study provides further evidence that people with blood type A are more likely to get infected with COVID-19 than others.
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Honing in on the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2, the part that attaches itself to the host cell (and leads to infection), scientists looked closely at how the virus interacted with respiratory and red blood cells in blood types A, B, and O.
After careful observation, it was pretty clear that COVID-19 had a particular liking to blood group A in respiratory cells. Interestingly, it showed no preference towards red blood cells in the same group, or other respiratory and red blood cells in type B and O blood.
“It is interesting that the viral RBD only really prefers the type of blood group A antigens that are on respiratory cells, which are presumably how the virus is entering most patients and infecting them,” said study co-author Sean Stowell.
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Though the findings are eye-opening, Stowell warns this isn’t a surefire way to predict the kind of impact COVID-19 has on people of various blood types. After all, it’s not like people with blood types B and O are immune to the virus.
The study simply suggests that people with blood type A are more ‘enticing’ for the SARS-CoV-2 RBD to bind itself to. In the event that people in a certain population or community have only type B or type O blood, infection would still be a concern.
Past studies have shown that blood type does matter, to a certain extent, in the face of COVID-19.
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In a previous study published on Blood Advances in October 2020, findings pointed to the possibility that people with blood type O were the least likely to get infected with COVID-19. Or at least, they were the most protected from the virus. This might help corroborate the latest study as well.
“Blood type is a challenge because it is inherited and not something we can change,” said Stowell.
“But if we can better understand how the virus interacts with blood groups in people, we may be able to find new medicines or methods of prevention.”
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Cover image sourced from Reuters and AP / CTV News.