https://imcjms.com/public Ibrahim Medical College Journal of Medical Science https://imcjms.com/public/registration/journal_full_text/214 Sun, 07 May 2017 12:57:48 +0000 The present study is a retrospective analysis of allelic frequency of ABO and Rhesus (D) blood groups of donors attending the Deaprtment of Transfusion Medicine of Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders (BIRDEM), Dhaka. BIRDEM IS a 625 bed hospital, where patients and blood donors come from all parts of Bangladesh. A total of 1, 28,506 blood donors of both genders were included in the study over fourteen years from June 1995 to June 2009 for analysis. Blood group was determined by performing the both tube and slide method blood grouping method. The distribution of blood groups in our population was B>O>A>AB in Rh positive groups donors and O>B>A>AB among Rh negative donors. Blood group B was more common among the males (37.42%) while O was predominant among female donors (33.83 %). On the other hand, blood group O negative was predominant in both genders (36.88%). In this study, Hardy- Weinberg equilibrium law was used to calculate the allelic frequency for ABO/ Rh system. Homozygous allelic frequency for Rh negative population was only 0.0007. Although phenotypically B group was dominant and AB was rare in our population, but according to Hardy- Weinberg equilibrium law the estimatedallelic frequency of A (0.3694) and O (0.3040) showed higher frequency than B type (0.2300) in Bangladeshi population in both homozygous and heterozygous state. So, with increasing population of Bangladesh, this changing trend in estimated blood group in ABO system may play an important role in our genetic pattern. Address for Correspondence:Dr. Tashmim Farhana Dipta, Associate Professor, Department of Transfusion Medicine, BIRDEM Hospital and Ibrahim Medical College, 122 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Shahbagh, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh; email: tashmim@yahoo.com   The ABO and Rhesus (RhD) blood groups and the allelic frequencyvary amongst the different population of the world. It varies from race to race, one country to another and even in different regions of a country [1-15]. This spectrum of difference may be attributed to genetic factors and natural selection which is affected mainly by traditions and habits namely exogamy and endogamy. Global frequency pattern of the type B blood allele is highest in central Asia and in few pockets of Africa but lowest in the America and Australia [2,15]. On the other hand, equal dominance of group B and O is seen among the population of Indo-Pak subcontinent including Bangladesh and India [9,15-17). Previous studies among Bangladeshi population reported that blood group B as the most common type followed by O and A type while group AB type as the least [16]. Limited studies among Bangladeshi population of Rajshahi, Jessor, Faridpur, Khulna and Nilphamari districts reported the frequency of blood group B from 32.58%to 35.20% [11,16].   This study was carried out in the Department of Transfusion Medicine of Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders (BIRDEM), Dhaka. Blood groups of 1,28,506 donors attending BIRDEM from June 1995 to June 2009 of both genders were analyzed. Forward grouping or cell typing was done on red blood cells after adding anti-A, anti-B and anti-AB antiserum (Biotec Laboratories, UK) and reverse grouping or serum typing was done on serum with known A, B and O cell (pool, freshly prepared). Presence of RhD antigen was determined by anti-D (Biotech Laboratories LTD, UK and Serological Lab, UK). Coomb’s reagent (Serological Lab, UK) was used for the detection of Rhesus (Rh) weak D (Du). The data were analyzed for the  frequency of ABO and Rhesus blood groups. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was used to calculate the estimated allelic or genotypic frequency of ABO/Rh blood group system in our studied population [17]. Results     Table-2: Distribution of Rhesus blood groups among different ABO blood groups of study population     Table-4: Expected phenotypic and genotypic frequencies of the ABO and Rhesus blood group system according to Hardy –Weinberg equation.   In our study population, blood group B was the predominant phenotype (34.56%) among ABO blood group system with dominant Rhesus D positivity (97.41%). Blood group AB was rare in both genders. Our study correlates with the studies done in India and Pakistan [9,2]. The studies reported the frequency of blood group B in India and Pakistan as 32.50% and 34.00% respectively. Our study also correlates with the previous study done among Bangladeshi population, where B group was reported as 35.20% to 32.58% [11.16]. But a study conducted on haemato-onchology patients showed O as the predominant blood group [14] . Our study also differs with an Indian study, where distribution of ABO and RhD blood group among 150,536 blood donors in Christian Medical Collage Hospital, Vellore showed O blood group as the predominant (38.75%) type [9].  The prevalence of RhD positive rate correlates well with other reported studies from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.   1.   Boskabody MH, Shademan A. Ghamami G, Mazloom R. Distribution of blood groups among population in the city of Mashhad (North East of Iran). Pak J Med Sci.2005; 21(2): 194-8. 3.   Shtayeh MSA, Hamlin AH, Fendy YR. Distribution of ABO  blood group and Rh factor in Palestinian living in the Northern part of the west Bank. Najah Res J 1988; 2(1): 35-41. 5.   Awny AY, Kamel K, Hoerman KC. ABO blood groups and hemoglobin variants among Nubian Egypt. UAR Amer J Phys Anthro 1965; 23: 81-2. 7.   Al-Khafaji SD, Al-Rubeaj MA. The Frequency of ABO and Rh(D) blood groups in Kurdish population of Iraq. Ann Hum Biol 1976; 3(2): 189-91. 9.   Das PK, Nair SC, Harris VK, et al. Distribution of ABO and RhD blood groups among blood donors in a tertiary care centre in South India. Trop Doct. 2001; 31(1): 47-8. 11.Hossain MM, Khyirul Ataturk SFM, Saifuddin Ekram ARM, Azad MAK. Study on ABO and Rhesus Blood Groups in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Journal of Teachers Association RMC, Rajshahi 2004; 17(1): 38-40. 13.Ahamad MSU, Mirjada MR, Pahan D. Pattern of ABO and Rh (D) blood group among leprosy patients. Journal of Chittagong Medical College Teachers’ Association 2008; 19(2): 51-3. 15.Anees M, Mirza MS. Distribution of ABO and Rh blood group alleles in Gujrat region of Punjab, Pakistan. Proc. Pakistan Acad Sci 2005; 42(4): 233-8. 17.Merten, TR. Introducing students to population genetics and the Hardy-Weinberg Principle. The American Biology Teacher 1992; 54(2): 103-107. 2026 Ibrahim Medical College. All rights reserved.