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»| A paper published in the Journal 'Blood' entitled "HIV-1
incorporates ABO histo-blood group antigens that sensitise
virions to complement-mediated inactivation"  suggests that
transmission of HIV-1 is modified by both ABO blood group and
the immune system enzyme complement. The premise is based on
research showing how the ABO antigen (blood group marker) of the
infected person is incorporated into the HIV virus that is
replicated in their cells. Because the virus is coated in the
person's blood group antigen, it then acts in the same way a red
blood cell would when someone with an incompatible blood group
becomes exposed to it, and the part of the immune system that
would normally cause an incompatible blood transfusion reaction
is activated against the virus, helping to protect the recipient
against infection. This would mean that it would be harder for
an individual of blood group O (the 'universal donor') to
contract HIV infection from peo