A large cohort study of the effects of Lewis, ABO, 13 other blood groups, and secretor status on COVID-19 susceptibility, severity, and long COVID-19

Camous Moslemi; Susanne Saekmose; Rune Larsen; Thorsten Brodersen; Maria Didriksen; Henrik Hjalgrim; Karina Banasik; Kaspar R Nielsen; Mie T. Bruun; Joseph Dowsett; Kathrine A Kasperen; Susan Mikkelsen; Thomas F Hansen; Henrik Ullum; Christian Erikstrup; Martin L Olsson; Sisse R Ostrowski; Ole B Pedersen

doi:10.1111/trf.17170

A large cohort study of the effects of Lewis, ABO, 13 other blood groups, and secretor status on COVID-19 susceptibility, severity, and long COVID-19

Camous Moslemi, Susanne Saekmose, Rune Larsen, Thorsten Brodersen, Maria Didriksen, Henrik Hjalgrim, Karina Banasik, Kaspar R Nielsen, Mie T. Bruun, Joseph Dowsett, Kathrine A Kasperen, Susan Mikkelsen, Thomas F Hansen, Henrik Ullum, Christian Erikstrup, Martin L Olsson, Sisse R Ostrowski, Ole B Pedersen

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported Blood type O to confer a lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, while secretor status and other blood groups have been suspected to have a similar effect as well.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: To determine whether any other blood groups influence testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 severity, or prolonged COVID-19, we used a large cohort of 650,156 Danish blood donors with varying available data for secretor status and blood groups ABO, Rh, Colton, Duffy, Diego, Dombrock, Kell, Kidd, Knops, Lewis, Lutheran, MNS, P1PK, Vel, and Yt. Of these, 36,068 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 whereas 614,088 tested negative between 2020-02-17 and 2021-08-04. Associations between infection and blood groups were assessed using logistic regression models with sex and age as covariates.

RESULTS: The Lewis blood group antigen Lea displayed strongly reduced SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility OR 0.85 CI[0.79-0.93] p < .001. Compared to blood type O, the blood types B, A, and AB were found more susceptible toward infection with ORs 1.1 CI[1.06-1.14] p < .001, 1.17 CI[1.14-1.2] p < .001, and 1.2 CI[1.14-1.26] p < .001, respectively. No susceptibility associations were found for the other 13 blood groups investigated. There was no association between any blood groups and COVID-19 hospitalization or long COVID-19. No secretor status associations were found.

DISCUSSION: This study uncovers a new association to reduced SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility for Lewis type Lea and confirms the previous link to blood group O. The new association to Lea could be explained by a link between mucosal microbiome and SARS-CoV-2.

Original language	English
Journal	Transfusion
Volume	63
Issue number	1
Pages (from-to)	47-58
Number of pages	12
ISSN	0041-1132
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.17170
Publication status	Published - 2023

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Moslemi, C., Saekmose, S., Larsen, R., Brodersen, T., Didriksen, M., Hjalgrim, H., Banasik, K., Nielsen, K. R., Bruun, M. T., Dowsett, J., Kasperen, K. A., Mikkelsen, S., Hansen, T. F., Ullum, H., Erikstrup, C., Olsson, M. L., Ostrowski, S. R., & Pedersen, O. B. (2023). A large cohort study of the effects of Lewis, ABO, 13 other blood groups, and secretor status on COVID-19 susceptibility, severity, and long COVID-19. Transfusion, 63(1), 47-58. https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.17170

Moslemi, C, Saekmose, S, Larsen, R, Brodersen, T, Didriksen, M, Hjalgrim, H , Banasik, K, Nielsen, KR, Bruun, MT, Dowsett, J, Kasperen, KA, Mikkelsen, S, Hansen, TF, Ullum, H, Erikstrup, C, Olsson, ML, Ostrowski, SR & Pedersen, OB 2023, 'A large cohort study of the effects of Lewis, ABO, 13 other blood groups, and secretor status on COVID-19 susceptibility, severity, and long COVID-19', Transfusion, vol. 63, no. 1, pp. 47-58. https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.17170

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title = "A large cohort study of the effects of Lewis, ABO, 13 other blood groups, and secretor status on COVID-19 susceptibility, severity, and long COVID-19",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported Blood type O to confer a lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, while secretor status and other blood groups have been suspected to have a similar effect as well.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: To determine whether any other blood groups influence testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 severity, or prolonged COVID-19, we used a large cohort of 650,156 Danish blood donors with varying available data for secretor status and blood groups ABO, Rh, Colton, Duffy, Diego, Dombrock, Kell, Kidd, Knops, Lewis, Lutheran, MNS, P1PK, Vel, and Yt. Of these, 36,068 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 whereas 614,088 tested negative between 2020-02-17 and 2021-08-04. Associations between infection and blood groups were assessed using logistic regression models with sex and age as covariates.RESULTS: The Lewis blood group antigen Lea displayed strongly reduced SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility OR 0.85 CI[0.79-0.93] p < .001. Compared to blood type O, the blood types B, A, and AB were found more susceptible toward infection with ORs 1.1 CI[1.06-1.14] p < .001, 1.17 CI[1.14-1.2] p < .001, and 1.2 CI[1.14-1.26] p < .001, respectively. No susceptibility associations were found for the other 13 blood groups investigated. There was no association between any blood groups and COVID-19 hospitalization or long COVID-19. No secretor status associations were found.DISCUSSION: This study uncovers a new association to reduced SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility for Lewis type Lea and confirms the previous link to blood group O. The new association to Lea could be explained by a link between mucosal microbiome and SARS-CoV-2.",

author = "Camous Moslemi and Susanne Saekmose and Rune Larsen and Thorsten Brodersen and Maria Didriksen and Henrik Hjalgrim and Karina Banasik and Nielsen, {Kaspar R} and Bruun, {Mie T.} and Joseph Dowsett and Kasperen, {Kathrine A} and Susan Mikkelsen and Hansen, {Thomas F} and Henrik Ullum and Christian Erikstrup and Olsson, {Martin L} and Ostrowski, {Sisse R} and Pedersen, {Ole B}",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors. Transfusion published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of AABB.",

year = "2023",

doi = "10.1111/trf.17170",

language = "English",

volume = "63",

pages = "47--58",

journal = "Transfusion",

issn = "0041-1132",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - A large cohort study of the effects of Lewis, ABO, 13 other blood groups, and secretor status on COVID-19 susceptibility, severity, and long COVID-19

AU - Moslemi, Camous

AU - Saekmose, Susanne

AU - Larsen, Rune

AU - Brodersen, Thorsten

AU - Didriksen, Maria

AU - Hjalgrim, Henrik

AU - Banasik, Karina

AU - Nielsen, Kaspar R

AU - Bruun, Mie T.

AU - Dowsett, Joseph

AU - Kasperen, Kathrine A

AU - Mikkelsen, Susan

AU - Hansen, Thomas F

AU - Ullum, Henrik

AU - Erikstrup, Christian

AU - Olsson, Martin L

AU - Ostrowski, Sisse R

AU - Pedersen, Ole B

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported Blood type O to confer a lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, while secretor status and other blood groups have been suspected to have a similar effect as well.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: To determine whether any other blood groups influence testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 severity, or prolonged COVID-19, we used a large cohort of 650,156 Danish blood donors with varying available data for secretor status and blood groups ABO, Rh, Colton, Duffy, Diego, Dombrock, Kell, Kidd, Knops, Lewis, Lutheran, MNS, P1PK, Vel, and Yt. Of these, 36,068 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 whereas 614,088 tested negative between 2020-02-17 and 2021-08-04. Associations between infection and blood groups were assessed using logistic regression models with sex and age as covariates.RESULTS: The Lewis blood group antigen Lea displayed strongly reduced SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility OR 0.85 CI[0.79-0.93] p < .001. Compared to blood type O, the blood types B, A, and AB were found more susceptible toward infection with ORs 1.1 CI[1.06-1.14] p < .001, 1.17 CI[1.14-1.2] p < .001, and 1.2 CI[1.14-1.26] p < .001, respectively. No susceptibility associations were found for the other 13 blood groups investigated. There was no association between any blood groups and COVID-19 hospitalization or long COVID-19. No secretor status associations were found.DISCUSSION: This study uncovers a new association to reduced SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility for Lewis type Lea and confirms the previous link to blood group O. The new association to Lea could be explained by a link between mucosal microbiome and SARS-CoV-2.

AB - BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported Blood type O to confer a lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, while secretor status and other blood groups have been suspected to have a similar effect as well.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: To determine whether any other blood groups influence testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 severity, or prolonged COVID-19, we used a large cohort of 650,156 Danish blood donors with varying available data for secretor status and blood groups ABO, Rh, Colton, Duffy, Diego, Dombrock, Kell, Kidd, Knops, Lewis, Lutheran, MNS, P1PK, Vel, and Yt. Of these, 36,068 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 whereas 614,088 tested negative between 2020-02-17 and 2021-08-04. Associations between infection and blood groups were assessed using logistic regression models with sex and age as covariates.RESULTS: The Lewis blood group antigen Lea displayed strongly reduced SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility OR 0.85 CI[0.79-0.93] p < .001. Compared to blood type O, the blood types B, A, and AB were found more susceptible toward infection with ORs 1.1 CI[1.06-1.14] p < .001, 1.17 CI[1.14-1.2] p < .001, and 1.2 CI[1.14-1.26] p < .001, respectively. No susceptibility associations were found for the other 13 blood groups investigated. There was no association between any blood groups and COVID-19 hospitalization or long COVID-19. No secretor status associations were found.DISCUSSION: This study uncovers a new association to reduced SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility for Lewis type Lea and confirms the previous link to blood group O. The new association to Lea could be explained by a link between mucosal microbiome and SARS-CoV-2.

U2 - 10.1111/trf.17170

DO - 10.1111/trf.17170

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36271437

SN - 0041-1132

VL - 63

SP - 47

EP - 58

JO - Transfusion

JF - Transfusion

IS - 1

ER -