DUFFY BLOOD-GROUP DETERMINANTS AND MALARIA IN INDIA

Two hundred and fiftyeight Muria Gond subjects from Bastar district in Central India and 97 subjects from Delhi were typed for Duffy blood g roup determinants, and their blood examined for malaria antibodies as well as for presence of malarial parasites. We found the Duffy-negativ e phenotype in high prevalence among Muria Gonds, while in Delhi no su bject was observed to be Duffy-negative. Frequencies of seropositivity for malaria antibodies (the test did not distinguish between P. falci parum and P. vivax) were not significantly different among subgroups o f Muria Gond individuals with different Duffy blood group phenotypes. Examination of thin and thick blood films did not reveal infection wit h P. vivax in Duffy-negative individuals. Our results suggest that Duf fy-negative individuals, though resistant to infection with P. vivax, are not resistant to infection with P. falciparum.