New blood type found: Woman in France is the only one to have 'Gwanda negative' blood group
A research has made a pathbreaking revelation to uncover the 48th
blood group system
after 15 years of investigation.
French scientists
made the new discovery after a blood sample collected for a routine pre-surgery test led hold something never seen before.
The new blood type has been named "Gwanda negative" because of its origin.
It began with a simple test
The pathway for the discovery began in 2011 when a 54-year-old woman in Paris, originally from a French Caribbean island Guadeloupe, underwent a basic pre-surgical blood test. However, her sample raised a red flag. It was not just about matching the usual blood groups but it also it carried an antibody that didn't fit into any known pattern.
Doctors noticed the strange anomaly, but back then, tools were not as powerful to decode the mystery. The sample was preserved. And for the next eight years, the case remained unsolved.
DNA sequencing unlocked the truth
Post the advancement in high-throughput DNA sequencing, scientists got back to the rare blood sample in 2019. This time, they found the clue they had been looking or.
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A genetic completely new genetic mutation was identified. This had never been observed before in the global blood group database.
The mutation was inherited by the woman from both her parents, meaning she had got a rare version of gene from each of them. It was this double inheritance that gave her a unique blood type, one that doesn't match with any known donor in the world. She is the only person on Earth, so far, who can safely receive her own blood.
The name
Gwada negative
was chosen not just because it reflects her roots in Guadeloupe, but also because it has a globally friendly sound that scientists believe fits its rare significance.
Why is this discovery significant
The major discovery might seem to be like a general isolated scientific event. However, this opens up crucial conversations in
blood transfusion
science.
When someone with an unknown or
rare blood type
needs surgery, blood transfusion becomes life-threatening if not matched correctly.
In severe cases, transfusion with an incompatible type can trigger severe immune reactions. This is the reason new blood group systems are important. They can explain previously unexplained medical emergencies and help researchers refine transfusion protocols, especially for people from diverse genetic backgrounds.
This is not just about cataloguing blood, it is about improving survival chances for people with rare blood types who may not even know they are rare.
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