“we have 390 different blood groups, 250 of which are considered rare” explains a hematologist

France is “one of the richest banks” of rare blood, with nearly “8,500 frozen bags” explains Jacques Chiaroni, hematologist and director of the French Blood Establishment (EFS) on France Inter.

“Today, 390 different blood groups are described, 250 of which are considered rare” explains Monday January 29 on France Inter Jacques Chiaroni, hematologist and director of the French Blood Establishment (EFS) PACA-Corsica, on the occasion of the launch of the rare blood awareness week by the EFS.

Rare blood is described by the hematologist as “Uncommon blood groups that can save lives, blood whose blood group has a frequency of less than 4‰ (4 per thousand)” hence the importance for the EFS to launch this rare blood awareness week because “hundreds of thousands of French people carry it without knowing it”. The EFS estimates that between “13,000 and 15,000 people are identified in a register of the National Reference Center for blood groups” but this is only the tip of the iceberg, because “in France, potentially, there are nearly a million people who can carry these blood groups”.

France “has reservations” of these rare bloods, it is even “one of the richest banks”with almost “8,500 frozen bags” which can be used “for 30 years” contrary to “a classic blood bag, which can be used for 42 days”, explains Jacques Chiaroni. But “we do not have the full range of blood groups that can exist” he regrets. EFS must therefore sometimes ask banks abroad to supply them, or themselves supply other countries in the context of exchanges.

Great genetic diversity in Africa

It exists “a true geography of blood groups” with certain groups who “are rare in all populations” and others which are only rare “in some populations, but common in others”which explains this difficulty in having an exhaustive bank.

For example, some bloods are “more resistant to malaria”very present “in exposed populations” but “unfortunately, this can lead to transfusion blockages for populations who are on the move and do not donate blood”very problematic in case “hemorrhages linked to accidents or childbirth, but especially in cases of pathologies, in particular hemoglobin pathologies which require regular transfusions”.

So, “Populations of African origin are a little more exposed than others to this problem, because there are more specific blood groups in Africa than elsewhere. Africa today has the most significant genetic diversity in the world “, specifies Jacques Chiaroni.