Free Republic

People with type A blood are likely more susceptible to COVID-19 infections, because the spike protein of the virus shows an affinity for blood group A cells, according to a new study in Blood. This is the strongest evidence to date to support the idea that blood types influence who is more likely to contract COVID-19. Moreover, the study shows the spike protein's affinity for type A cells may be amplified by the Omicron strain of the virus. 25% to 50% increased infection for type A The study looked at the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2, which facilitates host...

Scientists have discovered that a particular type of enzyme can cut away antigens in blood types A and B, to make them more like Type O -- considered the 'universal' blood type, because it's the only type that can be donated to anyone without the risk of provoking a life-threatening immune response. The team, from the University of British Columbia of Canada, worked with a family of enzymes called 98 glycoside hydrolase, extracted from a strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Over many generations, they were able to engineer a super high-powered enzyme strain that can very effectively snip away blood antigens...

People with blood type A may be more vulnerable to infection by the new coronavirus, while those with type O seem more resistant, according to a preliminary study of patients in China who contracted the disease known as Covid-19. Medical researchers in China took blood group patterns of more than 2,000 patients infected with the virus in Wuhan and Shenzhen and compared them to local healthy populations. They found that blood type A patients showed a higher rate of infection and they tended to develop more severe symptoms. While the researchers said the study was preliminary and more work was...

In a plea to Facebook users last week, Verlon Robinson offered to give up his 2004 Dodge pickup truck and a tent trailer to anyone who would be willing to donate a piece of their liver to his sick wife. In the post, he added a postscript and said he has “good kidneys” and would also be willing to “throw in one.” ...So Verlon Robinson is taking matters into his own hands. He has asked that anyone who has O-positive or O-negative blood type to apply to the UCSF Medical Center to see if they could qualify to donate a...