Bombay Blood Group – Free PDF Download

BOMBAY BLOOD GROUP

• In 1900-1902, K. Landsteiner divided the human blood into four groups- A, B, AB and O.
• First discovered in Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1952 by Dr Y M Bhende.
• It is a very rare blood group.
• The Bombay blood group, also called hh.

WHAT IS SO UNIQUE?

• Bombay blood group, is deficient in expressing antigen H.
• That means the RBC has no antigen H.
• For instance, in the AB blood group, both antigens A and B are found. A will have A antigens; B will have B antigens.
• In hh, there are no A or B antigens.

WHY IT IS RARE?

• Globally, the hh blood type has an incidence of one in four million.
• It has a higher incidence in South Asia.
• In India, one in 7,600 to 10,000 are born with this type.
• Dr Arun Thorat, in-charge of Maharashtra State Blood Transfusion Council, said this blood type is more common in South Asia than anywhere else because of inbreeding and close community marriages.
• Shared common ancestry among Indians, Sri Lankans, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis has led to more cases of hh blood phenotype in this region.

CONFUSION B/W O & BOMBAY BLOOD GROUP

• To test for hh blood, an Antigen H blood test is required.
• The difference is that the O group has Antigen H, while the hh group does not.
• If anyone lacks Antigen H, it does not mean he or she suffers from poor immunity or may be more prone to diseases.

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