Research: Having a blood type is not susceptible to corona virus infection

The latest research in scientific journals shows that some people may have 'natural immunity' and are not susceptible to the new corona virus. Even when infected, they are unlikely to develop serious illness. Dr. Dong Vu Hong (Dong Yuhong), a European virologist and chief scientist of a biotech company, combined with other studies, gave the reasons why these people not susceptible to new corona virus infection. Below is a summary of the interview with Ms. Dong Vu Hong.

Dr. Dong Vu Hong

How to have natural immune factors? 3 factors that help prevent corona virus infection

In November 2021, an article in the journal 'Nature Immunology' mentioned an interesting phenomenon: in some families with close contact, all members are infected with the new corona virus, but one person is not infected. This means that even with a lot of exposure to the virus, some people are still not susceptible to the new corona virus.

Whether infected with the new corona virus or not, there are individuals in the crowd with great differences, some people are not susceptible, some people are infected but have no symptoms, some people recover quickly, some people will develop serious and life-threatening. On the surface, this is a random probability problem, but in fact, after careful analysis, it is an inevitable result after combining many factors.

To find out the reason behind that, scientists have launched a global research project – 'COVID Human Genome Project', in which 16 researchers from Rockefeller University, Greece, France and others A university or other well-known research institution jointly publishes the preliminary study results in the journal Nature Immunology.

After a comprehensive analysis of this and other studies, we can summarize the 3 main factors that make the corona virus less contagious: interferon, blood type, and genes.

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Interferon protects the human body from infection and serious illness

The human body's ability to produce interferon and the level of interferon in the body is a necessary and important link in controlling the novel coronavirus.

According to the journal Nature Immunology, more than 10% of patients with the new coronavirus with symptoms have auto-neutralizing antibodies to type I interferons, which means that the function of some type I interferons is impaired by antibodies. In addition, 20% of patients with severe symptoms of the new corona virus over the age of 70 also contain this antibody.

On the other hand, people with high levels of interferon in the body are not usually easily infected with the new corona virus, even if they are unfortunately infected, there is no less risk of developing severe disease.

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Does blood type affect immunity? People with blood type A or blood group O are not susceptible to the new corona virus?

Blood type has a high correlation with human health, people with different blood types have different levels of natural immunity.

In 1900, Carl Landsteiner, a biologist at the Institute of Pathology at the University of Vienna, Austria, first discovered that the human body has four innate blood types: A, B, AB and O.

Blood group is the type of antigen on the surface of red blood cells. People with blood group A have A antigens on the surface of their red blood cells, people with blood group B have B antigens and people with blood group AB have both A and B antigens. O blood group does not carry antigens. (Usually, people with blood type A have A antigens on the surface of their red blood cells, but they don't have A antibodies in their bodies, but B antibodies. People with type B blood have A antibodies in their bodies. , a person with blood type O has both A and B antibodies in the body.)

The ABO blood group system is expressed not only in erythrocytes but also in human epithelial and endothelial cells and is implicated in many human diseases.

For example, some studies have found that people with blood type A have a higher probability of developing stomach cancer, while people with blood types A, B, and AB have a higher rate of pancreatic cancer. more, may be involved in the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines -inflammatory factors and programmed cell death (apoptosis), etc.

Coincidentally, a study from Dutch academics published in the Medical Journal of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology in January 2020 found that that compared to people with blood type O, people without blood type O are more likely to have heart disease, thromboembolic disease, high blood lipids, etc.

Regarding the ability to fight corona virus infection, according to the results of a study in the Vox Sanguinis Journal published by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT), people with blood type O are less likely to be infected with the new corona virus, and the rate of severe symptoms. is also relatively low. In contrast, people with blood type A have a higher incidence of the new corona virus and tend to have more severe illness.

In this regard, scientists have two hypotheses: A and B antibodies that exist in the body of people with blood type O can neutralize the virus and prevent the union between the virus and cells. protect human cells from viruses.

However, people with blood type A lack A antibodies and are therefore less able to neutralize the virus. In addition, some substances in blood group A can increase the affinity of the new corona virus for human cell receptors, increase the risk of infection, and may also increase the rate of cardiovascular complications, thrombosis disease. embolism and severe infection.

Are there any important immune genes against the new corona virus?

In addition, the Nature study summarizes other genes that influence replication and immunity to viruses as well as their impact on human infectious diseases, and expects further analysis of those have 'natural immunity' to the new corona virus, and find key immune genes.

As more and more immune-related genes are continuously revealed, people will have a more comprehensive understanding of the human body's antiviral mechanism and the mysteries of life sciences.

Interferon, blood type, and genes are just a few factors, and it is not possible to absoluteize a single factor.

Overall, this doesn't mean that people with type O blood and high interferon levels can sit back and relax, nor does it mean that people with type A blood and high interferon levels need to worry too much. a lot of.

There are many factors that determine whether a person is infected with the new corona virus: age, smoking, alcohol consumption, nutritional balance, body weight index, lifestyle and rest, emotional control and many other factors. The positive factors in all aspects are consolidated to ensure that there are no loopholes for the virus to attack. Sign up for a meditation class to train both mind and body here.