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.

CONCLUSION

ABO blood groups are not associated with the occurrence of bancroftian filariasis.