Latest news with #ThierryPeyrard
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
French scientists discover a new blood type found in only one woman alive today
Imagine needing a blood transfusion and learning that no one else on the planet can help you. French researchers have identified a brand-new human blood type found in only one person on the planet, a 68-year-old woman from Guadeloupe . Doctors have named it the 'Gwada negative' blood type, and it's the first newly discovered blood group system in years, now officially the 48th blood group recognized globally. 'We had never seen anything like it,' said Thierry Peyrard, the French biologist who led the research, announced at the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) Congress in Milan. 'She is the only person in the world who can get along with herself,' said Thierry Peyrard, biologist at France's national blood agency (EFS), which made the discovery. The EFS has discovered 10 of the last 17 known blood group systems, placing France at the forefront of rare blood science. Live Events How did scientists discover the new blood group? It started in 2011, when the woman underwent routine pre-surgery tests in Paris. Her blood reacted to every known donor type. Doctors were alarmed. They couldn't identify what made her immune system reject even the rarest matched blood. The case went cold. Because of the new genome sequencing tools, scientists finally cracked the code. They found a mutation in the PIGZ gene, a change inherited from both parents, that completely altered how proteins bind to red blood cells. Her blood produces antibodies that would destroy any transfused blood, except her own. She is only eligible for autologous transfusions (her own stored blood). In any emergency, there is no donor alive who can help her. Named after Guadeloupe's local nickname 'Gwada,' scientists are now combing donor databases in the Caribbean, hoping to find others who carry the rare mutation. So far, she's alone. Finding a second Gwada negative donor could be life-saving for her or others who carry hidden genetic variations. It could also prevent deadly transfusion errors in rare patients.
New York Post
27-06-2025
- Health
- New York Post
I have an extremely rare blood type — I'm the only person in the world with it
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. 3 Research revealed the woman has a mutation in the gene PIGZ, which affects how proteins anchor to the surface of blood cells. sebgross – 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.' 3 Blood group systems are essential for blood transfusions, as our bodies reject blood group antigens that they perceive as foreign. thomsond – 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). 3 Type O blood has no antigens, meaning patients with this type can only receive blood from fellow type O donors. picture alliance via Getty Images 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.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Doctors Found a New Blood Type and It Changes What We Thought We Knew
For decades, most of us thought blood types were simple: A, B, AB, or O—each with a positive or negative Rh factor. But that's just the surface. Scientists now recognize 48 distinct blood type groups, and the newest one, just officially classified, belongs to exactly one person on Earth. Meet 'Gwada negative,' the rarest blood type known to science, Live Science reported. The story begins 15 years ago, when doctors in France drew blood from a woman with Caribbean ancestry from Guadeloupe, known locally as 'Gwada.' At the time, she was undergoing routine testing ahead of a surgery. But what her blood revealed was anything but routine. Back in 2011, researchers noticed an unusual antibody. It took nearly a decade of genetic analysis and DNA sequencing to uncover the source: a previously unknown mutation that altered the structure of her blood in a way never seen before. This month, the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) confirmed the discovery, officially designating 'Gwada negative' as the 48th recognized blood group. According to Thierry Peyrard, a medical biologist with the French Blood Establishment (EFS), she's the only person known to carry it and the only person in the world she's compatible with for transfusions. 'Discovering new blood groups means offering patients with rare blood a better level of care,' the EFS said in a statement. That's because while ABO-Rh typing is safe for most transfusions, rare blood groups can lead to life-threatening complications if not properly matched. With over 600 known antigens on blood cells, there are theoretically millions of possible combinations. But until now, only 47 had been officially cataloged. Thanks to advances in gene sequencing, that number is growing quickly, so don't be surprised if more discoveries like 'Gwada negative' follow. For one woman in France, her blood told a story no one else Found a New Blood Type and It Changes What We Thought We Knew first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 26, 2025
International Business Times
26-06-2025
- Health
- International Business Times
What Is Gwada Negative? The World's Rarest Blood Group Discovered in Guadeloupean Woman
A woman born in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe has a blood type that scientists have never seen before. This new blood group, now named "Gwada negative," was officially recognized by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT), making it the world's 48th known blood group system. The woman, now 68 and living in Paris, was first tested in 2011 before a surgery. Doctors noticed that her blood didn't match any known type. Tests showed an unusual antibody, but at that time, technology couldn't explain it. Years later, in 2019, French scientists used advanced DNA tools to retest her blood. They found a rare mutation in a gene called PIGZ. She got this change from both her parents. This mutation affects how proteins stick to red blood cells. This makes her blood truly one of a kind. "She is the only person in the world who can receive her own blood," said Thierry Peyrard, a lead expert at France's national blood service. The name "Gwada negative" honors her Caribbean roots. It was also chosen because it sounds simple in many languages, making it easy for doctors and scientists to use worldwide. Most people know about A, B, AB, or O blood types. But these are only part of a larger system. Red blood cells carry over 600 markers, called antigens. These create different blood types, and "Gwada negative" is the latest one added to the list. New discoveries like this are possible today because of powerful gene-scanning technology. Experts believe more rare blood types may be found in the future. This is important, as having the right blood type is critical for safe transfusions. In most cases, common blood types are enough. But people with rare types can be in danger if the right match is not found. In the U.S. alone, over 14 million units of blood are used each year. That's why knowing more about blood groups helps save lives. Doctors are now trying to find others who may carry this rare blood group. They're searching mostly in Guadeloupe and nearby areas, where people may have similar ancestry. This discovery could help improve medical care for others with rare blood, and it shows how science is always learning more about the human body.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
'Very unusual': 68-year-old woman with new blood type found; compatible only with herself
. Scientists have discovered a new blood type in a 68-year-old woman from the French overseas region of Guadeloupe. The blood group has been named 'Gwada Negative' and is only found in one woman across the globe. Thierry Peyrard, a medical biologist at the EFS, said, "She is the only person in the world who is compatible with herself', as reported by AFP. Peyrard explained that the woman got her blood type from both her parents, as each of them carried the mutated gene. He said that such an instance was 'very unusual'. The research team that made this discovery announced their findings in a presentation at the International Society of Blood Transfusion's Congress in Milan, which concluded on June 4. The research team had initially met the woman in Paris in 2011 when she was undergoing routine checkups before a surgery, when doctors could not ascertain her blood group, reported the French blood establishment (EFS). At the time, research methods were not advanced enough to solve the case, which remained unsolved for eight years. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Una madre soltera que conducía un Ferrari rojo casi acaba en la cárcel. Más información Undo In 2019, researchers used high-throughput gene sequencing , a method that allows faster and deeper DNA analysis, to re-examine the woman's blood. Over the next two years, they carefully studied her full genetic makeup. The woman's strange lab test results ultimately led to the discovery of a mutation in a gene called PIGZ, which changes the way proteins anchor to the surface of blood cells, as reported by LiveScience. Till now, EFS has recognised 47 blood group systems. The ABO blood group systems which was initially identified by Austrian-American biologist Dr Karl Landsteiner, is the first and the most familiar blood group system. DNA sequencing in the latest years has accelerated the discovery of new blood groups in the recent years. Blood group systems play a crucial role in safe blood transfusions, as the body rejects antigens that it perceives as foreign. The most common ABO blood typing system describes whether people have both the antigens of 'A', 'B', one of them or neither of them. In the ABO system, individuals with both A and B antigens (AB blood type) can recieve blood from any blood group as their body recognises both the antigens. On the other hand, people with O blood type can only receive blood from other O-type donors as they do not have A or B antigens. Peryard and his colleagues are now aiming to find other people with the same blood group as "Discovering new blood types means offering patients with rare blood a better level of care," said the EFS statement.
