New Blood Group Discovered in South Indian Woman

New Blood Group Discovered in South Indian Woman
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A previously unidentified blood group antigen has been discovered in a woman from Karnataka, India, The New Indian Express reported. The 38-year-old from Kolar district was admitted for cardiac surgery, and despite having the common O Rh+ blood type, no compatible blood units were found. Experts at the Rotary Bangalore TTK Blood Centre conducted advanced testing and found her blood reacted with all samples, indicating a rare or unknown blood type.

After extensive research and molecular analysis in collaboration with the International Blood Group Reference Laboratory in the UK, the new antigen was identified as part of the Cromer blood group system and named CRIB—representing Cromer and India-Bangalore.

The case was managed successfully without transfusion, and the discovery was officially announced at the 35th Regional Congress of the International Society of Blood Transfusion in Milan, June 2025. The Rotary Centre has since launched a Rare Donor Registry to support patients with rare blood types in India.