Karnataka Woman Has World's First-Of-Its-Kind Blood Group 'CRIB', Doctors Baffled
A 38-year-old woman from Karnataka's Kolar district was found to possess the world's first-of-its-kind blood group, now officially called CRIB, a discovery that has left medical researchers around the world baffled.
The blood group was discovered when the woman was admitted for cardiac surgery, and her blood, typed as O Rh positive—the most common blood group—was found to be incompatible with all available O-positive blood units, according to reports.
The case was referred to the Advanced Immunohaematology Reference laboratory at Rotary Bangalore TTK Blood Centre. 'Her blood showed panreactivity, meaning it was incompatible with every test panel," Dr Ankit Mathur, a transfusion medicine expert at the centre, told The New Indian Express.
What Is CRIB?
More surprisingly, blood samples from 20 of the woman's family members were collected, but none matched her blood. This confirmed suspicions that the woman's blood was exceptionally rare and the doctors decided to proceed without a transfusion.
Blood samples from the patient and her family members were submitted to the International Blood Group Reference Laboratory (IBGRL) in Bristol, UK, for comprehensive genetic and serological testing, according to The New Indian Express.
After nearly ten months of in-depth molecular analysis, scientists discovered a previously undocumented blood group antigen. The newly discovered antigen belongs to the Cromer (CR) blood group system and is now officially known as CRIB – 'CR' referring to Cromer and 'IB' for India, Bangalore.
What Makes Her Blood Unique?
This historic announcement was made at the 35th Regional Congress of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) held in Milan, Italy, in June 2025, marking the woman as the first person in the world identified with the CRIB antigen, Dr Mathur said.
The standard blood classification there are over 30 other recognised blood group systems like Kell, Duffy and Cromer. This newly discovered antigen has added a new dimension to the Cromer group, which is known for its complex glycoprotein structures, according to Firstpost
Doctors said the woman cannot rely on donated blood from others due to the unique nature of her blood. Instead, she may have to boost her haemoglobin levels and store her own blood beforehand – a process called autologous transfusion.
The CRIB case shares parallels with another recent discovery made in Europe – Gwada Negative, a newly identified blood group falling under the EMM-negative system. In June last year, this antigen – present in nearly all human red blood cells – was entirely absent in a woman from Guadeloupe residing in Paris.
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