[EvaH (OP)]

Penny asks:

I am RH O negative blood type. Having read that the AstraZeneca vaccine contains chimp flu virus I'm really concerned.  I'm due the jab but I won't have a choice of the two offered therefore putting off having any. My question - is the AstraZeneca chimp virus safe for RH negative blood type - considering RH negative types do not have the monkey gene?

Can you help?

[alancalverd]

It does not appear to be listed as a contraindication. As about 6 - 10% of the population is Rh-, it would have appeared on the list by now.

A chimpanzee is not a monkey.

[evan_au]

RH negative blood type - considering RH negative types do not have the monkey gene?

Summary: An Adenovirus is not a monkey red blood cell. It does not display the Rh protein on its surface. The Astra-Zeneca vaccine will not be a risk to future babies of Rh- women.

Background:
It is true that the Rh protein was first discovered on the red blood cells of Rhesus monkeys.
- A similar protein also occurs on the red blood cells of many humans (it reacts to the same antibodies).
- This is not surprising - humans have many proteins similar to monkey proteins (and many similar to fruit-flies - and even some similar to bananas!)

There are no obvious ill-effects for adults with or without this Rh protein (although Wikipedia suggests Rh provides some  protection against Toxoplasmosis?).
- But it does cause definite problems for Rh+ babies of Rh- mothers: The mother's immune system can attack the baby's circulation (especially for subsequent pregnancies)
- Today, we have an effective treatment for this Rh disease in mothers and infants

The chimpanzee adenovirus does display a number of proteins on its surface
- The main one (from a vaccine standpoint) is the SARS-COV2 Spike protein
- But there are also other proteins that make up the adenovirus "coat".
- The Rh protein is not one of them.

All humans are regularly infected with human Adenoviruses, without severe impact - we call it "The common cold".

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rh_blood_group_system#History