Frequencies of ABO, Rhesus (D) and Kell (Kpa & Kpb) antigens and phenotypes in Al-Shukria Sudanese tribe

Abstract

This is a descriptive, prospective and analytical study which was conducted over a period of three months started from April to June 2007 to determine the frequencies of ABO, Rhesus (D), Kpa and Kpb antigens and phenotypes among Al-Shukria Sudanese tribe. The study was carried out on 100 unrelated individuals blood samples, following informed consent each sample collected into 2.5 ml of blood EDTA containers. All samples were tested for the presence of ABO and Rhesus (D) antigens using slide method and for Kpa and Kpb antigens using ID-Gel micro-typing system. The frequency of ABO showed that the O blood group was found to be most frequent with frequency of (58%), whereas the A blood group was found (24%) followed by B blood group with frequency of (14%) and the least common was found to be AB blood group (4%). The Rhesus (D) was found to be (96%). Kpb was found to be 100%, while Kpa was not detected. Data was entered, checked and analyzed using Microsoft office excel 2003 and statistical package for social sciences program (SPSS), and compared to other populations using Jacquard's similarity coefficient. The results were compared with other Sudanese tribes and were found that there is a similarity in some ABO blood group and Rh (D) factor and there were differences with others. When results were compared with other populations, revealed that the frequency of ABO was found to be close to people from African region such as Nigerian and Kenyan populations also similar to Punjab (Pakistan), and different from Indian and British populations. The frequency of Rhesus (D) was found to be close to Nigerian population and Black Americans, and far from Kenyan, British and White Americans population. The frequency for Kell-3 and Kell-4 in Al-Shukria Sudanese tribe was found to be close to that found in Blacks of United states and Brazil. It was concluded that the similarities between Sudanese tribes result from intermarriage between them, while the differences between the tribes that leave in different geographical area.