Association of ABO Blood Group With HIV Infection

This cross-sectional study determined the association of ABO and Rhesus blood groups with HIV infection. A total of 240 participants comprising 180 Test patients (HIV positive group) attending HIV screening and counseling Department of Federal Medical Center Owerri, Imo State, and 60 Control (HIV negative group) were recruited in the study. Blood samples were collected from the subjects and analyzed for blood group antigen using the tube method. The test and control subjects had all the blood groups except AB "that was lacking in the test group. The blood group allotment was A (25.0%), B (23.8%), AB (5.0%), 0(46.2%), Rh+ (93.7%) and Rh (6.3%). In the HIV positive patients, blood group 0+ prevailed with a prevalence of 43.9% while blood group AB- was the least prevalent (0.0%). In the control subjects, blood group 0+ was also the most commonly identified (43.3%) while blood group B- was the least prevalent (1.7%). In this study, there was no relationship between blood group antigens and HIV infection (X=11.909, P=0.104). Infection with HIV was highest in the age group 21-30 years; the relationship was statistically significant (p=0.001). The infection was highest among female than the male; the association was statistically significant (p=0.0001). In conclusion, blood group antigens were not related to HIV infection.