Talk about a lonely hearts club.
An unidentified woman from Guadeloupe has the rarest blood type on Earth, to the extent that she’s only compatible with herself.
The 68-year-old is thus far the only known member of the blood group “Gwada negative,” according to news reports.
The moniker comes from the colloquial name for the French Caribbean island the woman calls home.
Scientists with the French Blood Establishment (EFS), who discovered Gwada negative, announced their findings this month in a presentation at the International Society of Blood Transfusion’s Congress in Milan.
The research team was introduced to the woman in 2001 when she was living in Paris and undergoing routine blood tests in preparation for surgery. Doctors were unable to identify her blood type or any matches for it.
DNA analysis wasn’t advanced enough at the time to explore the case further, but in 2019, researchers utilized next-generation technology to sequence the patient’s entire genome.
Research revealed a mutation in the gene PIGZ, which affects how proteins anchor to the surface of blood cells. The team determined that the woman inherited her unique blood profile from her parents, as both carried the mutated gene.
“This woman is undoubtedly the only known case in the world,” Thierry Peyrard, a biologist at EFS, told AFP. “She is the only person in the world who is compatible with herself.”
Human blood group classifications are based on antigens, the proteins and sugars found on the surface of red blood cells.
The ABO blood typing system details whether people have one, both or neither of the antigens “A” and “B.” The rhesus classification determines whether cells are “positive” or “negative” for the Rh factor antigen.
Blood group systems are essential for blood transfusions, as our bodies reject blood group antigens that they perceive as foreign.
Folks with AB blood have A and B antigens, meaning they can receive blood from any donor. Meanwhile, type O blood has no antigens, meaning patients with this type can only receive blood from fellow type O donors.
In tandem, the ABO and Rh systems provide us with the eight primary blood groups. However, scientists explain that there are several lesser-known blood groups, 45 of which are recognized by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT).
Gwada negative is now recognized as No. 48 by ISBT.
Researchers plan to investigate whether other people have this unique blood type.
The team notes that blood types are commonly shared by groups of similar ancestral descent; thus, they aim to start their search among blood donors in Guadeloupe.
“Discovering new blood types means offering patients with rare blood a better level of care,” an EFS statement read.
In certain cases, patients with rare blood can provide incredible care to others.
James Harrison, nicknamed the “man with the golden arm,” had blood that contained a rare antibody known as Anti-D, which can be used to make medication to treat pregnant women with Rhesus disease.
Rhesus disease isn’t harmful to the mother, but it causes her antibodies to destroy her baby’s blood cells, which can be fatal.
Since Anti-D was discovered in the 1960s, it has saved the lives of millions, and expectant mothers have relied on the kindness of the small group of people who could provide the antibody.
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