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11 - Blood group phenotypes and infectious diseases

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 August 2009

C. Caroline Blackwell
Affiliation:
Discipline of Immunology and Microbiology and Hunter Immunology Unit, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia; Institute for Scientific Evaluation of Naturopathy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
Donald M. Weir
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh
Abdulhamid M. Alkout
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh
Omar R. Elahmer
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh
Doris A. C. MacKenzie
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh
Valerie S. James
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh
J. Matthias Braun
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh; Institute for Scientific Evaluation of Naturopathy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
Osama M. Almadani
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School University of Edinburgh; Forensic Medicine Unit, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Anthony Busuttil
Affiliation:
Forensic Medicine Unit, The Medical School University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Richard Bellamy
Affiliation:
Kintampo Health Research Centre, Ghana
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Summary

INTRODUCTION

The first observations on associations between blood groups and infectious diseases were made in the 1950s, but the underlying mechanisms were not elucidated for many years. This could have been due to limited explanations for the epidemiological findings or to conflicting reports of associations between different blood groups with the same disease. An example of the latter is the large numbers of papers on Helicobacter pylori and ABO or Lewis blood groups/secretor status during the past few years which have reported inconsistent or conflicting results. Because determination of blood groups is a relatively simple and inexpensive procedure, many investigators have used it for quick “simple” studies without consideration of possible confounding factors. For all studies on blood groups and infection, the following points (gained with the experience of hindsight) need to be considered in planning or assessment of surveys:

  1. The disease or organism under investigation needs to be clearly defined. Severity of the symptoms should be also be considered, e.g., differentiation of cases of Escherichia coli O157 infection between patients with uncomplicated diarrhoeal disease and those that develop haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) (Blackwell et al., 2002).

  2. It should be made clear that the investigation examined an outbreak or defined epidemic due to a particular strain in contrast to sporadic cases which could be due to strains with different antigenic characteristics or virulence factors.

  3. Different populations express different quantities of antigens such as H, Lewisa, or Lewisb.

  4. […]

Type
Chapter
Information
Susceptibility to Infectious Diseases
The Importance of Host Genetics
, pp. 309 - 336
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2003

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  • Blood group phenotypes and infectious diseases
    • By C. Caroline Blackwell, Discipline of Immunology and Microbiology and Hunter Immunology Unit, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia; Institute for Scientific Evaluation of Naturopathy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany, Donald M. Weir, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Abdulhamid M. Alkout, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Omar R. Elahmer, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Doris A. C. MacKenzie, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Valerie S. James, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, J. Matthias Braun, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh; Institute for Scientific Evaluation of Naturopathy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany, Osama M. Almadani, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School University of Edinburgh; Forensic Medicine Unit, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, Anthony Busuttil, Forensic Medicine Unit, The Medical School University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
  • Edited by Richard Bellamy, Kintampo Health Research Centre, Ghana
  • Book: Susceptibility to Infectious Diseases
  • Online publication: 14 August 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511546235.011
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  • Blood group phenotypes and infectious diseases
    • By C. Caroline Blackwell, Discipline of Immunology and Microbiology and Hunter Immunology Unit, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia; Institute for Scientific Evaluation of Naturopathy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany, Donald M. Weir, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Abdulhamid M. Alkout, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Omar R. Elahmer, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Doris A. C. MacKenzie, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Valerie S. James, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, J. Matthias Braun, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh; Institute for Scientific Evaluation of Naturopathy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany, Osama M. Almadani, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School University of Edinburgh; Forensic Medicine Unit, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, Anthony Busuttil, Forensic Medicine Unit, The Medical School University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
  • Edited by Richard Bellamy, Kintampo Health Research Centre, Ghana
  • Book: Susceptibility to Infectious Diseases
  • Online publication: 14 August 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511546235.011
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Blood group phenotypes and infectious diseases
    • By C. Caroline Blackwell, Discipline of Immunology and Microbiology and Hunter Immunology Unit, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia; Institute for Scientific Evaluation of Naturopathy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany, Donald M. Weir, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Abdulhamid M. Alkout, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Omar R. Elahmer, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Doris A. C. MacKenzie, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Valerie S. James, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh, J. Matthias Braun, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School, University of Edinburgh; Institute for Scientific Evaluation of Naturopathy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany, Osama M. Almadani, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Medical School University of Edinburgh; Forensic Medicine Unit, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, Anthony Busuttil, Forensic Medicine Unit, The Medical School University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
  • Edited by Richard Bellamy, Kintampo Health Research Centre, Ghana
  • Book: Susceptibility to Infectious Diseases
  • Online publication: 14 August 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511546235.011
Available formats
×