New blood group discovered in Karnataka woman: Its side effects

In a splendid milestone, a new blood group, not identified anywhere else in the world, has been discovered in a woman from Kolar district in Karnataka. This remarkable case was found when the woman was admitted to the hospital for cardiac surgery. She had an O Rh + blood group, which is the most common blood group. However, her blood was compatible with none of the available O-positive blood.

The hospital then sent a sample to the Advanced Immunohematology Reference Laboratory at the Rotary Bangalore TTK Blood Centre for further investigation and testing. Using advanced serological techniques, the team at the centre found out that the woman’s blood was panreactive and did not match any of the test samples. The team concluded that this would happen only in a possible case of rare or unknown blood type. Even though the team collected blood samples from 20 of her family members, none of them were compatible.

How the blood group was discovered
The hospital reportedly took utmost care while handling the woman's case and completed her surgery without the need for a blood transfusion. The blood samples of the woman and her family members were then sent to the International Blood Group Reference Laboratory (IBGRL) in Bristol, UK, for testing. Dr Ankit Mathur of the Rotary Bangalore TTK Blood Centre said that after ten months of extensive research and molecular testing, a previously unknown blood group antigen was discovered.

The woman from Kolar is the first in the world with a CRIB antigen blood group. This historic announcement was made at the 35^th Regional Congress of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) held in Milan, Italy, in June 2025. The woman’s blood group is part of the Cromer blood group system. In recognition of its origin, the blood group has been officially named CRIB, with CR representing ‘Cromer’ and IB standing for ‘India’ and ‘Bangalore’.

Side effects of the blood group
The woman will not be able to depend on blood transfusions from others. She will also have to depend on a procedure called ‘Autologous transfusion’ if she wants blood for future use. This is a process by which her blood is drawn from her before a scheduled surgery. The procedure reduces the risk of transfusion-related infections like HIV and hepatitis. However, the method may not suit all patients at all times. The National Institute of Health also mentions that at times, reactions can still occur with blood drawn through autologous transfusion. The process also needs specially trained personnel and equipment for effective implementation.