New Blood Group ‘Guoda Negative’ Discovered by French Scientists

The French National Blood Service (The French Blood Establishment) has identified a new human blood group named Guoda Negative. This rare blood group was found in the blood of a French woman from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. The discovery was made after analyzing a blood sample collected nearly 15 years ago. This month, the International Society of Blood Transfusion officially recognized it as a new blood group.

Scientists revealed that the blood was originally collected before the woman’s surgery in Guadeloupe about 15 years ago. The discovery of Guoda Negative came after detailed analysis of that sample. Thierry Peyrard, a scientist from The French Blood Establishment, explained that in 2011, a rare antibody was detected in the woman’s blood, but the detailed investigation of her blood group was delayed. In 2019, DNA sequencing uncovered a rare genetic mutation responsible for this unique blood type.

Traditionally, human blood groups are classified into four main types—A, B, AB, and O, each with positive and negative subtypes. However, human blood is far more complex. Scientists believe the rare antibody in the woman’s blood may have developed due to an uncommon condition, and she likely inherited altered genes from both parents.

The first blood group was identified over a century ago. With advances in genetic sequencing, the discovery of new and rare blood groups is accelerating, deepening our understanding of the complexities of human blood.