The relationship between blood type, susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2, and the virulence of COVID-19 keeps cropping up. The editors of the Wall Street Journal observe:
23andMe on Monday published a potentially significant finding that people with the blood type O were on average 14% less likely than other blood types (A, B, AB) to get Covid and 19% less likely to be hospitalized after accounting for age, sex, comorbidities, ethnicity and body mass. Among exposed individuals, O blood types were 19% less likely to test positive. There appeared to be little difference in susceptibility among other blood types.
This preliminary finding comes from 23andMe’s analysis of 750,000 people who agreed to let their DNA be used for Covid research. Participants were also asked whether they’ve experienced cold or flu-like symptoms, been diagnosed or treated for Covid and hospitalized for the illness.
23andMe notes its finding is supported by a new pre-publication study comparing 8,582,968 gene variants from 1,610 patients in Spain and Italy who needed oxygen or mechanical ventilation. Variations at only two chromosome locations showed a significant correlation with Covid severity. One encoded blood type, A-positive, had a 45% higher risk of respiratory failure while Os had a 35% lower risk.
Studies have previously found links between blood types and infectious and chronic diseases. For instance, Os appear to have lower risk for cardiovascular disease and heart attacks. The blood type gene is located in a stretch of DNA that regulates inflammation and blood clotting, which play a significant role in Covid-19.
The authors of the European study note that variation at the chromosome location for blood type has been associated with blood-clotting factors and interleukin-6, an inflammatory protein involved in cytokine storms that attack the respiratory system.
Perhaps it should also be noted that countries with higher proportions of people with non-A blood types, e.g. Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and much of the global south where the prevalence of Type O tends to be much higher, so far have escaped the worst outbreaks. Should this blood type hypothesis prove to be true, could it not be the case that a population with blood types other than A might not blunt the effects of the so-called superspreader events?
I’m A-Positive. I’ve also read that bald men are more susceptible for some reason, so I guess that’s also not good for me.
It should be noted 45% increased mortality risk is relatively small compared to 10x-100x risk due to age, or 3-10x if you have diabetes, COPD, hypertension, or cardiovascular disease.
There are other factors which suggest that the outbreaks in the Third World may not be as apocalyptic as some are fearing including that they don’t have as many old people and those they have may just be healthier. I suspect one of the things that COVID-19 is revealing is how many people modern medicine is keeping alive but still very sick in the developed world.
“I suspect one of the things that COVID-19 is revealing is how many people modern medicine is keeping alive but (who are) still very sick in the developed world.”
I have suspected this for two+ months and find this one of the most insightful (but I guess I would) comments I’ve seen in months. Just look at the slope of the morbidity statistics. If you are sick, but supported by modern medicine, this virus has you in its sights.
People. We don’t have a vaccine. We don’t have a real proven treatment. We only have the very nature of this disease and its effect on various strata of the population. This is no different than any disease.
Take reasonable precautions. Don’t be suckered into hysterical, outsized, ineffective and ultimately immoral policy responses that destroy more than they save. (Especially for political gain) Although it may be too late for that.