Association between Helicobacter pylori Infection, ABO Blood Groups and Rhesus Factor in Peptic Ulcer Disease Patients, in Gezira, Central Sudan

Blood group antigens were associated with peptic ulcer disease, which is potentially caused by Helicobacter pylori. It was recently demonstrated that the receptor for H. pylori is the blood group antigen lewisb, which is exposed only in blood group O.
Objectives: To report the possible correlation among H. Pylori Infection, ABO and Rhesus (Rh) blood groups in patients with peptic ulcer disease.
Methods: This cross-sectional, prospective study was carried out between Jan 2010 and Dec 2010 among patients suffering from dyspeptic symptoms attending to Wad Medani Teaching Hospital-Endoscopy Unit. All patients had their blood group phenotype and Rhesus determined by the slide hemagglutination test. All patients underwent oesophagogastrodudenoscopy to diagnose peptic ulcer disease. Gastric biopsies were obtained and examined for H. pylori by urease test.
Results: 40 patients were enrolled in this study, 29 were males and 11 were females with a mean age of 50.75 ± 18.18 years. 28 patients were both H. pylori biopsy-urease and Rhesus factor positive (93.3%), while 2 patients were H. pylori positive and Rhesus negative (6.7%). Among patients who were H. Pylori urease positive; 3 were blood group A (10%), 9 were B (30%) and 18 were O (60%).Most patients 31(77.5%) had duodenal ulcers, while 9(22.5%) had gastric ulcers at oesophagogastrodudenoscopy. Out of those who had D.U at oesophagogastrodudenoscopy; 3 were Blood group A (9.7%), 10 were B (32.3%) and 18 were O (58.1%).while among those with G.U; 3 were Blood group B (33.3%) and 6 were O (66.7%). Rhesus factor was positive in 28 patients (93.3%) and negative in 2 patients (6.7%) among those who were urease positive. Patients with DU; 29(93.5%) were Rhesus positive and 2(6.5%) were negative. All patients with GU (9 patients) were Rhesus positive (100%). This implies that there was statistically significant correlation between the O blood group, positive Rhesus factor and H. Pylori infection in peptic ulcer disease patients. γ=0.023 and 0.024 respectively.
Conclusion: This study suggests that can be a significant association between Rhesus positive group O and H. pylori infection.