Chinese doctors discover new and extremely rare blood type

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Medical professionals in China’s Jiangsu province have uncovered the genetic sequence behind a rare case of type P blood group – even rarer than the subtypes similar to “dinosaur blood” or “panda blood.”

According to People’s Daily, the rhesus-negative blood type sometimes called “panda blood” in China, includes roughly 0.4 per cent of the Chinese inhabitants. In comparability, the para-bombay phenotype, often known as “dinosaur blood” accounts for about one in 10,000 to at least one in 100,000.

The Global Times reported that the P blood type happens much more sometimes, with a prevalence decrease than one in one million.

Now, scientists have recognized the DNA sequence – nucleotide molecules – behind the rare blood type P in an individual with the blood group subtype, Modern Express Post reported on Saturday.

Nucleotides are small molecules that make up DNA and RNA, which carry genetic info.

After additional genetic testing, it was confirmed that the newly found gene sequence had by no means been discovered earlier than.

For folks with this rare P blood type, early detection can assist put together higher for blood transfusions.

This is particularly so on the time of being pregnant as such people can solely obtain blood of the identical sort and incorrect transfusion could result in miscarriages and stillbirths.

The newest discovery of the DNA sequence behind this rare blood group came about throughout common exams carried out final yr at a hospital in Taizhou, Jiangsu province, South China Morning Post reported, citing a Chinese medical journal.

Cao Guoping, a physician at Taixing People’s Hospital advised the Global Times that the gene sequencing outcomes on this specific case didn’t align with the identified mutations reported for the P group.

Currently, there have been solely 9 documented instances of the p blood type in China. According to obtainable information, the P blood group system includes 5 common phenotypes: p1, p2, p1k, p2k, and p.

“After passing the examination by experts from the National Center for Biotechnology Information of the United States, the gene of this cis-AB blood group is now officially included and published in the ‘GenBank’ database that has shared it to the world as a new gene,” Zhang Qian, deputy director of the Laboratory of Baoji Central Blood Station, was quoted as saying by Huashang Daily.

“In the case of female individuals with this blood type, the presence of ‘anti-Tja’ antibodies attacking the placenta directly can lead to recurrent miscarriages and stillbirths,” Dr Cao mentioned, referring to the naturally occurring antibody towards the P blood group, in line with SCMP.