Blood group A and D negativity are associated with symptomatic West Nile virus infection

Abstract

Background West Nile virus (WNV) infection is mostly asymptomatic but 20% of subjects report WNV fever and 1% of patients experience neurological diseases with higher rates in elderly and immunosuppressed persons. With no treatment and no vaccine to prevent the development of symptomatic infections, it is essential to understand prognostic factors influencing symptomatic disease outcome. Host genetic background has been linked to the development of WNV neuroinvasive disease. The present study investigates the association between the ABO and Rh(D) blood group status and WNV disease outcome. Study Design and Methods The distribution of blood groups was investigated within a cohort of 374 WNV+ blood donors including 244 asymptomatic (AS) and 130 symptomatic (S) WNV+ blood donors. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations between A, B, O and Rh(D) blood groups and WNV clinical disease outcome. Results Symptomatic WNV+ donors exhibited increased frequencies of blood group A (S 47.6% AS 36.8%, P=0.04, OR [95%CI] 1.56 [1.01–2.40]) and Rh(D)-negative individuals (S 21.5% AS 13.1%, P=0.03, OR [95%CI] 1.82 [1.04–3.18]). Conclusion The findings suggest a genetic susceptibility placing blood group A and Rh(D)-negative individuals at risk for the development of symptomatic disease outcome after WNV infection.

Association between ABO blood groups and clinical outcome of coronavirus disease 2019: Evidence from two cohorts

“…In addition, the blood type A population was also more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, which was consistent with the results of previous similar investigations on West Nile virus infection and plasmodium falciparum susceptibility [27,29]. Although the sample in our study was relatively small, the data used in the study were obtained from multiple medical centers and may better represent this patient group.…”

The role of host genetics in susceptibility to severe viral infections in humans and insights into host genetics of severe COVID-19: A systematic review

“…West Nile virus infection is mostly asymptomatic, and manifestation occurs in only 20 % of infected people. Symptomatic patients exhibited increased frequency of Blood group A ( Kaidarova et al, 2016 ). Additionally, ABO genes were associated with Rota virus and SARS-CoV infections ( Pérez-Ortín et al, 2019 ; Cheng et al, 2005 ).…”

Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus among blood donors on Corsica, France, 2017

“…), but there is to date no evidence-based explanation that takes into account the general high prevalence in both men and women and also the difference between the sexes. Association between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) or blood group antigens and infectious diseases has been documented in the literature [47][48][49][50] but has, to our best knowledge, never been investigated for HEV infection.…”