Association of ABO and RH Blood Group with Dengue Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Rawalpindi

Abstract

Objective: To determine an association of ABO and Rh blood group with dengue infection
susceptibility.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at Department of Pathology, Army Medical College in
alliance with Pak-Emirates Military Hospital (PEMH) Rawalpindi, Pakistan from November 2022 to December
2022.
Methods: The study was conducted on two groups, one group had 102 dengue positive patient and the other
group had 928 normal sample population presenting to the hospital. We applied Fisher's Exact/Chi-square test.
Samples were collected by convenience sampling technique. Patients with any other concomitant infection
such as malaria or typhoid the study were excluded from group 1. ABO and Rh blood grouping done by tube
method and verified by forward tile method. Serological testing for dengue for presence of IgM and NS1 done
by Rapid chromatographic immunoassay test (ICT) method.
Results: The distribution of ABO and Rh blood groups in both the normal population and dengue-positive
patient groups was similar. In the normal sample population, the prevalence of O+ blood type was 30.1%,
closely aligning with the 38.2% observed in dengue-positive patients. While the 38.2% figure is higher than that
of the normal population, it reflects a notable increase. Similarly, other blood group distribution is matched
with O- 3.3% in normal sample and 2.0% in dengue positive. Blood group B+ is 28.0% in normal sample and
26.5% in dengue positive patient. Blood group A+ being 22.4% in normal sample population and 24.5% in
dengue positive patients.
Conclusion: According to this study, blood group O has a slightly higher percentage of dengue patients
compared to its prevalence in the general population. The prevalence of other blood groups in dengue patients
closely mirrors their prevalence in the general population. Further research is needed to assess if HLA and ABO
are dependent or independent risk factors and if certain blood groups have a higher chance of DENV infection.

How to cite this: Zarrar J, Tashfeen S, Shahid S, Bashir S, Sharif I, Sajjad Z, Zulfiqar A. Association of ABO and RH Blood Group with Dengue Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Rawalpindi. Life and Science. 2024; 5(4): 497-503. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.447