Frequency and Distribution of ABO and Rh (D) Blood Group Phenotype, Allele Frequencies and Genotypes Among Blood Donorsin South Wollo, Northeast, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: For safe blood transfusion services, understanding ABO blood group and Rhesus factor distribution at local levels is very essential.

Objective: To determine the frequency of phenotype, allele and genotypes of ABO and Rhesus (D) blood group in South Wollo, Ethiopia.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional document review was done using data from September 2019 to March 2023. The Chi-square test was used to assess the variations in the distribution of blood groups based on sex and locations, as well as to compare the observed and expected frequencies with data from various sites in Ethiopia. The frequencies of alleles and genotypes were calculated under Hardy-Weinberg assumption.

Result: 16,318 participants with median age of 26 years were included in the study, 11,924 males. The most common blood groups were O (40.4%) and Rh (D) positive (90.7%). Allele of It and 1°1° were the predominant allelic and genotypic frequency respectively. In the case of Rh the dominant allele D was the most common. ABO and Rh frequency differ significantly across different sites. However, there is no difference in the ABO and Rh blood groups between the current study and other sites of Ethiopia as well as between observed and expected blood groups frequencies.

Conclusion: the most and the least blood groups were O and AB respectively. The distribution of ABO and Rh blood groups varies among different locations. No significance difference of ABO and Rh blood groups between present study and other areas of Ethiopia.