French scientists have identified a brand-new blood type, officially recognised as the world’s 48th blood group, after an unusual case involving a woman from Guadeloupe.
The rare discovery, named ‘Gwada negative’, was announced by the French Blood Establishment (EFS) after 15 years of research. The finding was also formally recognised in June by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT).
The case began in 2011 when a then 54-year-old woman living in Paris underwent routine pre-surgery blood testing. Scientists detected a highly unusual antibody, but they lacked the tools at the time to analyse it fully.
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“It was a complete mystery,” said Thierry Peyrard, the medical biologist at EFS who led the discovery. It wasn’t until 2019, thanks to advances in high-throughput DNA sequencing, that researchers pinpointed a genetic mutation behind the unique blood type.
The patient, who inherited the mutation from both parents, remains the only known person in the world with this blood group. “She is the only person who is compatible with herself,” Peyrard said.
The newly named ‘Gwada negative’ (a nod to the patient’s Guadeloupean origins) adds to the 47 blood group systems previously known. The ABO system, discovered over a century ago, was the first, but modern gene technology is rapidly expanding the field.
France’s national blood agency hopes this breakthrough will lead to better care for individuals with rare blood needs. “This kind of discovery can save lives,” the agency noted.
