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Blood Type May Play a Role in Covid-19 Susceptibility
A 23andMe study of more than 750,000 customers offers new insights
In April, DNA testing firm 23andMe began combing its vast consumer database to uncover genetic links to Covid-19.
Now, preliminary results from the company’s study, which looked at genetic profiles of more than 750,000 customers, suggest that people with blood type O may be more protected from getting the disease than those with other blood types. The company zeroed in on a variant in the ABO gene — the gene that determines your blood type — that seemed to be associated with a lower risk of infection.
23andMe found that compared to individuals with other blood types, those with type O were between 9% to 18% less likely to have tested positive for Covid-19. Among health care and other frontline workers, who are more likely to be exposed to the virus, type O blood was similarly protective.
The results are still preliminary, and a major caveat is that the study relied on self-reported Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations from customers.
While not definitive, the results add to mounting evidence that the gene that determines blood type may be important in Covid-19. For instance, researchers in China also found that those with type O blood were at…
