Filariasis and blood groups.
BACKGROUND
Using modern statistical techniques, we investigated the controversial relationship between lymphatic filariasis and blood groups in a very large number of patients.


METHODS
The ABO blood group, microfilaraemia and symptomatic disease status of 1444 persons was determined. The association between the filarial status and ABO blood group was studied by the Chi-square test and the method of logistic regression by fitting a model. This method simultaneously tested for association of factors such as blood groups and age with the occurrence of parasitaemia or filarial disease.


RESULTS
The ABO blood groups were not risk factors in the occurrence of patent parasitaemia or filarial disease though age was associated with the occurrence of microfilaraemia and symptomatic disease.


CONCLUSIONS
ABO blood groups are not associated with the occurrence of bancroftian filariasis.
Srividya
A
A
Vector Control Research Centre, Pondicherry, India.
Pani
S P
SP
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004605:Elephantiasis, Filarial / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System