Register for our Voices Dispatches email to receive a comprehensive summary of the top opinions from the week.
Join our Voices newsletter for free every week.
In Jiangsu province in China, medical experts have discovered the genetic makeup of an uncommon type of blood group called type P. This type is even more uncommon than its subtypes, such as “dinosaur blood” or “panda blood.”
Based on People’s Daily, the rhesus-negative blood type, also known as “panda blood” in China, makes up around 0.4% of the Chinese population. In contrast, the para-bombay phenotype, or “dinosaur blood,” is present in approximately 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 100,000 individuals.
According to the Global Times, the P blood type is extremely rare, with a prevalence of less than one in a million.
According to a report by Modern Express Post on Saturday, researchers have discovered the genetic code responsible for the uncommon P blood type in an individual with a subcategory of the blood group.
DNA and RNA are composed of nucleotides, which contain genetic material.
Following additional genetic analysis, it was verified that the recently identified genetic sequence had not previously been observed.
Early identification can assist individuals with the uncommon P blood type in better preparing for blood transfusions.
During pregnancy, individuals can only receive blood from donors with the same blood type. If an incorrect transfusion occurs, it can result in miscarriages or stillbirths.
According to a Chinese medical journal, the most recent identification of the genetic sequence responsible for this uncommon blood type was made during routine tests at a hospital in Taizhou, Jiangsu province last year.
The Red Cross is facing a critical deficit in blood donations that could lead to serious consequences.
Dr. Cao Guoping from Taixing People’s Hospital stated to the Global Times that the gene sequencing results in this specific instance did not match the documented mutations for the P group.
As of now, there have been nine confirmed instances of the p blood type in China. Based on existing information, the P blood group system consists of five common variations: p1, p2, p1k, p2k, and p.
According to Huashang Daily, Zhang Qian, the deputy director of the Laboratory of Baoji Central Blood Station, stated that the gene for the cis-AB blood group has been officially added and published in the “GenBank” database. This was after passing an examination by experts from the National Center for Biotechnology Information in the United States, and the gene has now been shared with the world as a new discovery.
According to SCMP, Dr. Cao stated that women with this blood type may experience recurrent miscarriages and stillbirths due to the presence of antibodies called “anti-Tja” that attack the placenta. These antibodies are naturally produced in response to the P blood group.
Source: independent.co.uk
