Extremely rare blood type, only one person in the world has it

(Dan Tri) - Thanks to DNA sequencing technology, France has discovered the "Gwada negative" blood type in a 54-year-old woman, the only case in the world whose blood is only compatible with her own.

Recently, the French Blood Distribution Service (EFS) announced that it had just discovered a completely new blood type in a 54-year-old woman originally from Guadeloupe, the French Caribbean.

The blood group, named "Gwada negative", is the 48th blood group system in the world , officially recognized by the International Council on Blood Transfusion in early June 2025.

The story began in 2011, when the woman was tested before a surgery and scientists discovered a "very unusual" antibody in her blood. But due to technological limitations at the time, they were unable to determine the cause.

It wasn't until 2019, thanks to high-throughput DNA sequencing technology, that a team led by medical biologist Thierry Peyrard identified a rare genetic mutation that creates this unique blood type.

In the world, there is only one person with the rare blood type "Gwada negative" (Illustration: Unsplash).

This woman is currently the only recorded case in the world with the "Gwada negative" blood type. What's special is that she is only compatible with herself, as no one else is known to have the same blood type.

According to Mr Peyrard, she inherited the gene mutation from both her parents, who were carriers of the rare gene. The name "Gwada negative" was chosen because of its association with Guadeloupe - her birthplace, which is often referred to as "Gwada" by locals.

This discovery marks a milestone in the field of hematology, as the number of identified blood types has increased significantly thanks to advances in DNA technology.

The ABO blood group system, discovered in the early 20th century, was the foundation. But modern tools like DNA sequencing have helped scientists discover new blood types, opening up better medical care for people with rare blood types.

Currently, Mr. Peyrard's research team is trying to find more people who may have the "Gwada negative" blood type to better understand its characteristics and distribution.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/nhom-mau-cuc-hiem-ca-the-gioi-chi-co-mot-nguoi-mang-20250623111004106.htm