Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: KESIA DE CARVALHO SANTOS

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : KESIA DE CARVALHO SANTOS
DATE: 23/10/2026
TIME: 08:30
LOCAL: Instituto Medicina Tropical do RN - Unidade básica (campus central)
TITLE:

ABO SYSTEM AND COVID-19: EFFECT OF BLOOD TYPE DISTRIBUTION ON PANDEMIC OUTCOMES IN 123 COUNTRIES

KEY WORDS:

ABO Blood Group System, SARS-CoV-2, linear regression, non-secretor status, genetic epidemiology, population variance.

PAGES: 57
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Bioquímica
SUMMARY:

The variation in the distribution of human blood groups, determined by the A, B, and O alleles at the ABO locus on chromosome 9, is well documented across different ethnic and geographic populations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous studies reported a strong association between susceptibility to infection and the ABO locus. The present study investigates the relationship between blood group prevalence and epidemiological indicators of COVID-19 at a global scale, based on the hypothesis that blood group A confers greater susceptibility to the disease. The methodology was developed by assessing associations using aggregated population-level data from 123 countries obtained from Our World in Data, together with genomic data from the 1000 Genomes Project, comprising 20 countries with available data for the analyses. Simple and multiple linear regression models were employed to assess the independent effects of blood groups and their interactions, adjusting for potential demographic confounders. We also tested the hypothesis of an interaction between blood group and secretor status, based on the frequency of the mutant allele of the FUT2 gene. The percentage of blood group A was an independent predictor of susceptibility to infection, showing a positive association with an increase in cases per million, even after adjustment for multiple predictors (β = 1536.13; p < 0.05). We also observed that populations with greater variability in blood group distribution, as indicated by a higher standard deviation (i.e., lower genetic homogeneity), experienced more severe pandemic impacts, reflected in a greater number of infections (β = 1620.6; p < 0.05). The inclusion of secretor status in the model modified the effects of blood groups on the analyzed outcomes, with statistically significant interactions (p < 0.05). This effect was observed for blood group A in relation to the number of cases and for blood group O in relation to the case fatality rate. Taken together, these findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how antigenic expression at mucosal surfaces and population-level genetic heterogeneity may influence immune responses, providing a basis for more targeted public health interventions.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Externo ao Programa - 2566638 - CARLOS EDUARDO MAIA GOMES - nullExterno ao Programa - 3010614 - ELIARDO GUIMARAES DA COSTA - nullPresidente - 1149356 - ELIZEU ANTUNES DOS SANTOS