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P blood group and proneness to urinary tract infection in Japanese children
S Tomisawa1, T Kogure, T Kuroume
1Department of Clinical Immunology, University of Göteborg, Sweden.
Insights
Individuals with the P1 blood group have a higher risk of developing recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), particularly febrile UTIs. This finding suggests a link between P1 blood type and susceptibility to pyelonephritis in children.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Genetics
Background:
- Globoseries glycolipids function as P blood group antigens.
- These glycolipids are also receptors for uropathogenic Escherichia coli.
- The P1 blood group is linked to recurrent pyelonephritis in Swedish girls.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between P blood group phenotype and urinary tract infections (UTIs) in Japanese children.
- To determine if P1 blood group is overrepresented in children with recurrent or febrile UTIs.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of P blood group phenotypes in Japanese children diagnosed with UTIs.
- Comparison of P1 blood group frequencies in UTI patients versus the general Japanese population.
Main Results:
- 50% of children with recurrent UTIs were P1 blood group, compared to 31% in the general population (p<0.05).
- 62% of children with febrile UTIs were P1 blood group, a 3.5-fold enrichment.
- A significant association was found between P1 blood group and febrile UTIs.
Conclusions:
- The P1 blood group is significantly associated with an increased risk of recurrent pyelonephritis in children.
- These findings support the hypothesis linking P1 blood type to susceptibility to severe UTIs.
- P blood group antigens may play a role in host-pathogen interactions during UTIs.
Abstract:
The globoseries of glycolipids are antigens in the P blood group system as well as epithelial cell receptors for uropathogenic Escherichia coli. The P1 blood group is overrepresented in Swedish girls with recurrent pyelonephritis. In this study, Japanese children with urinary tract infection (UTI) were analyzed for P blood group phenotype. Out of 26 children with recurrent UTI, 50% were of the P1 blood group compared to the 31% of P1 individuals in the Japanese population at large (p less than 0.05). Of children defined as having febrile UTI 62% were P1. The P1 blood group was thus significantly enriched (3.5 times) in the children with febrile UTI. These results support the hypothesis that individuals of blood group P1 run an increased risk for recurrent pyelonephritis.