It’s all in the blood

Your readers may find the following medical information in the April 2003 issue of Science Reporter quite interesting:

Karl Landsteiner identified three blood groups known as the ABO system in 1905. His studies had indicated that blood transfusion of a different group into a person led to fatal agglutination or clumping of red blood cells. In 1940, the Rh system was discovered, and since then a number of minor groups like T and Tn have been discovered.

Since then researchers have found some associations between the ABO blood group system and propensity to disease.

A Group: Greater tendency for hangover, for cancer of stomach and colon, for bleeding, for thrombosis, serum cholesterol level and myocardial infarction.

B Group: Greater tendency for defecation, impulsiveness, antisocial and criminal activity, for leprosy, Streptococcus Pneumonia, E. Coli and Salmonella infections.

O Group: Greater tendency for having good teeth, for peptic ulcer, for thrombosis, serum cholesterol level and myocardial infarction, for infectious diseases like plague, cholera, mumps and Helio­bacter Pylori. Lesser tendency for cancer and lesser strength of character and personality.

It was originally thought that these associations were only statistical correlations, but one explanation is that the different blood groups have different antigens associated with them which may make them receptive to certain microbes or confer immunological properties.

It has also been pointed out in the article that these studies do not indicate that other groups enjoy blanket immunities from these maladies, and adds that the old saying that "blood is thicker than water” has wider connotations than once believed.

Dr P. D. SUNAVALA