In a recent medical discovery, a 38-year-old woman from Karnataka has been identified as the world’s first person with a previously unknown blood group antigen-named CRIB. Unveiled at the 35th Regional Congress of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) in Milan in June 2025, this finding could significantly impact transfusion medicine and organ transplant safety.
The antigen’s name, CRIB, stands for Cromer-India-Bangalore, linking it to the Cromer blood group system and the city where the discovery occurred.
The anomaly was discovered during a routine cardiac surgery in Kolar, when the patient’s blood reacted with all compatible O-positive donor units. Further testing by the Rotary Bangalore TTK Blood Centre and later the International Blood Group Reference Laboratory (IBGRL) in the UK confirmed the presence of a new antigen under the Cromer system.
Despite the transfusion challenges, doctors successfully completed the surgery without using donor blood.
India has previously reported rare blood types like Rh null and In b negative, but CRIB’s discovery is especially significant. It has led to the creation of a Rare Donor Registry in collaboration with the Karnataka State Blood Transfusion Council and ICMR.
The Cromer system is based on antigens found on the CD55 protein, involved in immune regulation. CRIB, now officially recognized, adds a new layer to global transfusion safety and rare donor research.