French scientists find a new type of blood in the woman of the Guadeloupe

A French woman from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe has been recognized as the only well -known carrier of a new type of blood, called “Gwada Negative”, the French blood supply service said.

The announcement was made for 15 years after the researchers received a blood sample from a patient who underwent routine tests before surgery, the French Blood Foundation (EFS) said on Friday.

“The EFS has just discovered the 48th blood group system in the world!” The Agency said in a statement about the LinkedIn social network.

“This discovery was officially recognized in early June in Milan by the International Blood Transfusion Company [ISBT]. “The scientific union had so far recognized 47 blood group systems.

Thierry Peyrard, a medical biologist on the EFS involved in the discovery, told AFP that a “very unusual” antibody was first found in the patient in 2011.

Scientists were finally able to unfold the mystery in 2019 thanks to “high performance DNA sequence”, which underlined a genetic mutation, Peyrard said.

The patient, who was 54 years old and lived in Paris, underwent routine tests before surgery when the unknown antibody was found, Peyrard said.

This woman “is undoubtedly the only known case in the world,” the expert said. “She is the only person in the world who is compatible with herself,” she said.

Peyrard said the woman inherited the type of blood from her father and mother, who each had the mutated gene.

The name “Gwada negative”, which refers to the origin of the patient and “sounds good in all languages”, was popular with experts, Peyrard said.

The ABO blood group system was first discovered in the early 1900s. Thanks to DNA sequence, the discovery of new blood groups has accelerated in recent years.

Peyrard and his colleagues are now hoping to find other people with the same blood group. “Discovering new blood groups means to offer patients with rare blood types a better level of care,” EFS said.