Common variation in the ABO glycosyltransferase is associated with susceptibility to severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

ABSTRACT: There is growing epidemiological and molecular evidence that ABO blood group affects host susceptibility to severe Plasmodium falciparum infection. The high frequency of common ABO alleles means that even modest differences in susceptibility could have a significant impact on the health of people living in malaria endemic regions. We performed an association study, the first to utilize key molecular genetic variation underlying the ABO system, genotyping >9000 individuals across three African populations. Using population- and family-based tests, we demonstrated that alleles producing functional ABO enzymes are associated with greater risk of severe malaria phenotypes (particularly malarial anemia) in comparison with the frameshift deletion underlying blood group O: case-control allelic od

SUBMITTER: Fry AE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2657867 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature