Association of ABO and Rh blood groups with hepatitis C virus infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: The association between ABO and Rhesus (Rh) blood groups and susceptibility to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to clarify these associations. METHODS: statistic. Subgroup, sensitivity, and publication bias analyses were also performed. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420250635714). RESULTS: = 0.02). This association remained robust in sensitivity analyses. Heterogeneity was generally low to moderate, and Egger's test indicated no evidence of publication bias. CONCLUSIONS: ABO and Rh blood groups were not strongly associated with HCV infection, except for a consistent positive association with blood group B. Interpretation remains limited by study design and methodological variability. Therefore, large, prospective, multi-regional studies with standardized protocols are needed to validate these findings and explore potential biological mechanisms.