Phenotypic and allelic distribution of the ABO and Rhesus (D) blood groups in the Cameroonian population

Abstract

Data on blood group phenotypes are important for blood transfusion programs, for disease association and population genetics studies. This study aimed at reporting the phenotypic and allelic distribution of ABO and Rhesus (Rh) groups in various ethnolinguistic groups in the Cameroonians. We obtained ABO and Rhesus blood groups and self-identified ethnicity from 14,546 Cameroonian students. Ethnicity was classified in seven major ethnolinguistic groups: Afro-Asiatic, Nilo-Saharan, Niger-Kordofanian/West Atlantic, Niger-Kordofanian/Adamawa-Ubangui, Niger-Kordofanian/Benue-Congo/Bantu/Grassfield, Niger-Kordofanian/Benue-Congo/Bantu/Mbam and Niger-Kordofanian/Benue-Congo/Bantu/Equatorial. ABO allelic frequencies were determined using the Bernstein method. Differences in phenotypic distribution of blood groups were assessed using the chi-square test; a P value <0.05 being considered as statistically significant. The frequencies of the antigens of blood groups O, A, B and AB were 48.62%, 25.07%, 21.86% and 4.45%, respectively. Rhesus-positive was 96.32%. The allelic frequencies of O, A and B genes were 0.6978, 0.1605 and 0.1416, respectively. Phenotypic frequencies of the blood groups in the general study population and in the different ethnolinguistic groups were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium expectations (P > 0.05). The frequencies of O, A, and B blood phenotypes were significantly lower, respectively, in the Nilo-Saharan group (P = 0.009), the Niger-Kordofanian/Benue-Congo/Bantu groups (P = 0.021) and the Niger-Kordofanian/West-Atlantic group. AB blood group was most frequent in the Niger-Kordofanian/Adamawa-Ubangui group (P = 0.024). Our study provides the first data on ethnic distribution of ABO and Rhesus blood groups in the Cameroonian population and suggests that its general profile is similar to those of several sub-Saharan African populations. We found some significant differences in phenotypic distribution amongst major ethnolinguistic groups. These data may be important for blood donor recruitment policy and blood transfusion service in Cameroon.

Distribution of ABO and RHD blood group antigens in blood donors in Burkina Faso

“…The overall genic frequencies for alleles A, B and O were, respectively, 0.1524, 0.1887 and 0.6590. These results were consistent with those observed in previous study in Madagascar (Randriamanantany et al, ) where allelic frequencies were 0.1558, 0.1987 and 0.6450 respectively for alleles A, B and O. Loua in Guinea, Ndoula in Cameroon and Santovito in Côte d'Ivoire found a predominance of A than allele B (Loua et al, ; Ndoula et al, ; Santovito et al, ). The allele D was most frequent (0.7214); this is consistent with all the studies in African populations, from Central Africa to Maghreb and from West to East (Hamed et al, ; Kabemba et al, ; Mohammed et al, ; Tesfaye, Petros, & Andargie, ).…”

“…These results were also similar to those in other West African countries (Table ) as in Guinea (O = 0.4888, B = 0.2386; A = 0.2254; AB = 0.0472), Nigeria (O = 0.529, B = 0.231; A = 0.213; AB = 0.27) and Côte d'Ivoire (O = 0.551, B = 0.225; A = 0.17; AB = 0.054) (Iyiola et al, ; Loua et al, ; Santovito et al, ). However, they were not consistent with those in Central Africa and Maghreb where the sequence was O > A> B > AB (Benahadi et al, ; Kabemba et al, ; Ndoula, Noubiap, Nansseu, & Wonkam, ; Said et al, ; SmailChadli et al, ). The phenotypes RHD+ were predominant in our study, as in the other studies across the different African regions.…”

Frequency of ABO and Rhesus blood groups among blood donors in Lagos, Nigeria

“…[13] Other studies in Africa show highest frequencies of group O of 48.62% and 49.10% by Ndoula et al and Hamed et al respectively. [14,15] The frequencies of blood group AB in these studies are higher than that of this study, 4.45% and 4.05% against 2.47% in this study.…”

Blood Group Distribution in Switzerland - a Historical Comparison

“…Since between-as well as within-country variation of ethnic groups is considerable, we cannot provide a comprehensive distribution of ABO blood groups for individuals by country or ethnic group. However, previous studies suggest that blood type B is much more prevalent in individuals of Asian and African origin than in those of European (Caucasian) origin [4,[41][42][43][44][45]. As with individuals from successor states to Yugoslavia, naturalization and reproduction may be associated with the higher frequency of blood In summary, until recently, Switzerland has predominantly received immigration from (neighboring) European countries, which share an ethnicity and similar distributions of blood groups.…”