Malaria and ABO blood groups

Subjects from Muria gond tribal community (n = 258) as well as from Delhi (n = 100) were classified according to ABO blood groups, and were also assayed for malarial antibodies by ELISA technique. The distribution of ABO blood groups did not differ significantly in Muria gonds and Delhi subjects. Within Muria gonds the observed frequency of ABO blood groups did not differ significantly from the expected values. No significant difference was observed in the rate of seropositivity for malarial antibodies among subjects with different blood groups. Malarial parasitaemia, although observed more in individuals with blood group A, did not differ significantly as compared with other blood groups. We conclude that ABO blood groups do not show differential susceptibility to malaria.