AB & B Blood Groups More Susceptible To COVID-19: CSIR Survey

New Delhi: A new research paper has indicated that people with AB and B blood groups were more susceptible to COVID-19 compared to other blood groups.

The study further reported that people with O blood group were the least affected by the virus and most of them remained asymptomatic or had very mild symptoms.

The research, which is based on a nationwide seropositivity survey, was conducted and published by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

With a sample size of over 10,000 people countrywide, the data has been analysed by a group of 140 doctors.

Non-Vegetarians At Higher Risk

Additionally, the study reported that those who consume meat are more susceptible to COVID-19 than vegetarians.

The high fibre content in the vegetarian diet was attributed to this difference in immune response. A fibre-rich diet is also anti-inflammatory, which can prevent post-infection complications and even prevent the infection from manifesting itself.

Better Immune Response Likely

Talking to India Today TV, Agra-based pathologist Dr Ashok Sharma it is possible that people with O blood group have a better immune response against coronavirus compared to AB and B groups, although this research merits further and detailed study.

This, however, does not mean that people with O blood group can let go of all COVID prevention protocols, as they are not completely immune to the virus and are developing complications too.

‘Not Conclusive Enough’

Commenting on the CSIR survey, senior physician Dr SK Kalra said that this is merely a sample survey and not a peer-reviewed scientific research paper.

Dr Kalra added that the survey’s inferences need to be taken with a pinch of salt, as without a scientific understanding of why there was a difference in the infection rates of people with different blood groups, it would be too hasty to say anything about the so-called better immunity of people with O blood group.

In fact, he suggested that a larger sample size could even paint a different picture than this survey.