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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Health
- Business Standard
India doctors report discovery of new blood group CRIB, rarest in the world
In a ground-breaking medical discovery, Indian doctors have identified a blood group never seen before anywhere in the world. Dubbed CRIB, this ultra-rare blood type was discovered in a 38-year-old woman from Kolar, Karnataka, during preparations for a routine heart surgery - catapulting her case into the global spotlight for its uniqueness and raising critical questions about rare blood group awareness. Although her known blood type was O Rh-positive, none of the available O-positive blood units matched. The hospital then referred the case to the Advanced Immunohematology Reference Laboratory at the Rotary Bangalore TTK Blood Centre for further testing. Dr Ankit Mathur from the Rotary Bangalore TTK Blood Centre told The New Indian Express that using advanced serological techniques, his team found that her blood was 'panreactive', incompatible with all test samples. 'Recognising this as a possible case of a rare or unknown blood type, the team collected blood samples from 20 of her family members to search for a compatible match, but none of them were a match. The case was managed with utmost care, and with collaborative effort from her physicians and family, her surgery was successfully completed without the need for transfusion,' said Mathur. Her and her family's blood samples were later sent to the International Blood Group Reference Laboratory (IBGRL) in Bristol, UK, for further analysis. What is the CRIB blood group? CRIB stands for a previously unrecorded antigen profile that does not match any of the 43 known blood group systems recognised by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT). CRIB stands for 'Chromosome Region Identified as Blood group. ' It belongs to the INRA (Indian Rare Antigen) blood group system, officially recognised by the ISBT in 2022. What makes CRIB unique is the absence of a common antigen found in most people. The cause was traced to a previously unknown antigen in the Cromer blood group system, which is linked to proteins on red blood cells. Such uniqueness presents significant medical challenges: No compatible donor found. In emergencies, the patient cannot receive standard blood transfusions. Pregnancy, surgeries, or accidents may pose critical risks without a rare blood match. How rare blood groups are identified Globally, a blood type is considered rare if it affects one in every 1,000 people. Examples of rare blood types that lack common antigens include Rhnull, Bombay (Oh), and Jr(a-). In cases with rare blood types, a patient's family is more likely to share the same rare blood type than random donors. Some of these blood types are so rare that fewer than 10 registered donors exist worldwide. While the ISBT maintains a database of rare blood types and donors, international co-operation goes a long way to keep these databases updated and relevant. Implications for India's healthcare system The discovery of the CRIB blood group could trigger advancements in transfusion medicine, genetic research, and emergency preparedness. It places India at the forefront of global haematology research. This finding could also help in managing cases of Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn (HDFN), a condition where a mother's antibodies attack her baby's red blood cells. Early detection of CRIB can help prevent serious complications during pregnancy.
New Indian Express
30-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Kolar woman has blood group never seen before anywhere in world
BENGALURU: A new blood group, previously unidentified anywhere in the world, has been discovered in a South Indian woman from Kolar district in Karnataka. This remarkable case came to light when a 38-year-old woman was admitted for cardiac surgery at a hospital in Kolar. Her blood group was O Rh+, the most common blood group; however, none of the available O-positive blood units were compatible with her. The hospital escalated the case to the Advanced Immunohematology Reference Laboratory at the Rotary Bangalore TTK Blood Centre for further investigation. 'Using advanced serological techniques, our team found that her blood was 'panreactive', incompatible with all test samples. Recognising this as a possible case of a rare or unknown blood type, the team collected blood samples from 20 of her family members to search for a compatible match, but none of them were a match. The case was managed with utmost care, and with collaborative effort from her physicians and family, her surgery was successfully completed without the need for transfusion,' said Dr Ankit Mathur from the Rotary Bangalore TTK Blood Centre. Meanwhile, her and her family's blood samples were sent to the International Blood Group Reference Laboratory (IBGRL), Bristol, UK. Dr Mathur said that ten months of extensive research and molecular testing resulted in the discovery of a previously unknown blood group antigen.
