An Insight into ABO Blood Group and Susceptibility to COVID19 (SARS-CoV-2) in Darjeeling Hill Region, West Bengal, India

Introduction: Recent research studies have linked the relationship between ABO blood group and COVID19infection. The study aims to analyze the possibility of a correlation between the ABO blood group distribution and its possible impact on the infection and susceptibility to COVD19 virus in Darjeeling.

Methods: A total sample of 234 COVID19 positive patients confirmed by the severe acute respiratory syndrome, corona virus test (RT-PCR) were collected from Darjeeling District Hospital, Darjeeling (COVID Cell Records). The patients were visited in their given address and were asked to fill up a questionnaire.

Results: The 234 COVID-19-infected patients were of blood group, A (55.4%), B(20.9%), AB(11.8%), O (23.6%), 97.86% were Rh positive. A statistically significant association of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection was observed for blood group A (55.4% vs 34.34%; odds ratio=1.83, 95% confidence interval=1.41–2.37). The association of SARS Coronavirus 2 for blood group AB was (11.8% vs 9.6%; odds ratio=1.18, 95% confidence interval=0.78–1.78). However, there was no association of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection for, B (20.9% vs 22.66%; odds ratio=0.84, 95% confidence interval=0.60–1.16) and with O (23.6% vs 30.37%; odds ratio=0.513, 95% confidence interval=0.35–0.70).

Discussion: This study reported blood group A to be most susceptible and blood group O least susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection which was found to be strikingly consistent with findings of the Meta-analysis of data from Wuhan, Shenzhen and NYP/CUIMC. Distributions of blood groups between New York City data from the NYP/CUIMC EHR system.