New blood group system : Gwada negative
France’s national blood agency, the French Blood Establishment (EFS) has identified a completely new blood group system dubbed as “Gwada negative” which is officially recognised by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT).It is named EMM-negative and colloquially dubbed “Gwada negative” in reference to the Guadeloupean origin of the woman who carries it.
It is the informal name given to the newly classified EMM-negative blood group system, officially registered by ISBT as ISBT042.
It is defined by the absence of the EMM antigen, which is normally found on red blood cells and is considered a high-incidence antigen. High-incidence antigens are present in nearly all humans but lacking in this new system which is extremely rare and medically significant. Criteria to consider a new blood group a new system: It should be genetically determined, inherited, identifiable via serological or molecular techniques, and have an associated antibody — criteria that EMM-negative meets.
