Are Blood Groups Protective Against COVID-19?

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 disease, which has spread rapidly since its first appearance and caused pandemic, has become more dangerous day by day, and by infecting large masses caused the death of many people. The number of cases and deaths reaching dangerous levels globally have pushed scientists to get to know this infection more closely and to investigate preventive and therapeutic methods. At this point, scientists have discovered, based on past infectious disease researches, that some individuals are more susceptible to certain infections. Importantly, in the light of this information, it has been determined that there is a relationship between infectious diseases and blood groups, and individuals with certain blood groups are more susceptible to these infectious diseases. The obtained data suggested that there may be a relationship between blood groups and SARS-CoV-2, and research has been shifted in this direction in order to quickly determine susceptibility to the disease. Indeed, relationships between SARS-CoV-19 patients' blood groups, from hospitals in China, US, Italy, Spain and Turkey, and caught this infectious were investigated. It has been demonstrated that blood groups have an effect on getting this disease. With the discovery of this relationship, it has been revealed in studies that A, B, AB and O blood groups can be a potential biomarker in determining the sensitivity to COVID-19 infection. Studies have determined that individuals with blood type A have an increased sensitivity to COVID-19, and individuals with blood type O have a decreased sensitivity to it. It is thought that the reason for the decreased sensitivity to COVID-19 in individuals with that blood group, and the increased sensitivity seen in individuals with blood group A is due to the antibody A in the blood. This antibody can inhibit virus-cell adhesion in individuals with antibody A. Therefore, it is very important for individuals with blood group A, who do not carry this antibody in their blood, to use personal protective equipment to protect themselves from COVID-19. The purpose of this review is to bring together studies that reveal the relationship between COVID-19 and blood type.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• ABO Blood Groups
• ACE2
• S Protein
• SARS-CoV-2

Kan Grupları COVID-19’a Karşı Koruyucu Mu?

Abstract

İlk ortaya çıktığı andan itibaren hızla yayılan ve pandemiye neden olan SARS-CoV-2 veya COVID-19 hastalığı, gün geçtikçe daha tehlikeli bir hale gelmiş ve geniş kitlelere bulaşarak birçok insanın ölümüne neden olmuştur. Küresel olarak tehlikeli seviyelere ulaşan vaka ve ölümlerin sayısı, bilim insanlarını bu enfeksiyonu daha yakından tanımaya ve önleyici ve tedavi edici yöntemleri araştırmaya itmiştir. The number of cases and deaths reaching dangerous levels globally have pushed scientists to get to know this infection more closely and to investigate preventive and therapeutic methods. Bu noktada bilim insanları, geçmiş enfeksiyöz hastalıkları araştırmalarına dayanarak bazı bireylerin bazı enfeksiyonlara daha duyarlı olduğunu keşfetmişlerdir. Önemli olarak, bu edinilen bilgiler ışığında geçtiğimiz yıllarda yapılan çalışmalarla enfeksiyöz hastalıklar ile kan grupları arasında bir ilişki olduğu saptanmış ve belirli kan gruplarına sahip bireylerin bu bulaşıcı hastalıklara daha duyarlı oldukları saptanmıştır. Elde edilen veriler kan grupları ile SARS-CoV-2 arasında bir ilişki olabileceğini düşündürmüş ve araştırmalar hastalığa karşı duyarlılığın hızlı bir şekilde belirlenmesi amacıyla bu yöne kaydırılmıştır. Nitekim Çin’in farklı bölgelerinde, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’nde, İtalya, İspanya ve Türkiye’deki hastanelerde SARS-CoV-19 hastalarının kan grupları ile bu hastalığa yakalanma ilişkileri araştırılmış ve kan gruplarının bu hastalığa yakalanmada etkisinin olduğu ortaya konmuştur. Bu ilişkinin keşfedilmesiyle birlikte insanlarda bulunan A, B, AB ve O kan gruplarının COVID-19 enfeksiyonuna duyarlılığın belirlenmesinde potansiyel bir biyobelirteç olabileceği araştırmalarda ortaya çıkmıştır. Yapılan çalışmalarda kan grubu A olan bireylerin COVID-19'a karşı artmış bir duyarlılığının olduğu ve kan grubu O olan bireylerin ise azalmış bir duyarlılığa sahip olduğu belirlendi. O kan grubuna sahip bireylerde COVID-19’a karşı görülen azalmış duyarlılığın ve A kan grubuna sahip bireylerde görülen artmış duyarlılığın nedeninin kanda bulunan A antikorundan kaynaklandığı düşünülmektedir. A antikoruna sahip bireylerde bu antikor virus-hücre adezyonunu inhibe edebilmektedir. Bu nedenledir ki özellikle bu antikoru kanında taşımayan A kan grubuna sahip bireylerin COVID-19'dan korunması için kişisel koruyucu ekipman kullanmaları çok önemlidir. Bu derlemenin amacı COVID-19 ile kan grubu arasındaki ilişkiyi ortaya koyan çalışmaları bir araya getirmektir.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• ABO Kan Grupları
• ACE2
• S Protein
• SARS-CoV-2

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