Frequencies of Rhesus and ABO blood group Antigens& Phenotypes among Hausa Sudanese tribe

Abstract

This is adescreptive analytical study that aimed to determine the frequency of Rhesus blood group alleles and phenotypes among Hausa tribe. The study also aimed to establish Rhesus blood group baseline data & also aimed to determined ABO blood groups for this tribe . The study used Rh blood group alleles as markers of ethnic identity to determine a probable common ancestory. This study was conducted at different parts of Sudan during the period of three months(Feb to May-2007). Following informed consent, a total of one hundred venous blood samples were collected from unrelated individuals of the study tribe. Specimens were collected in 2.5 mls EDTA containers.The red blood cells were tested for common Rhesus antigens by the gel particle immune diffusion technique and by the slide agglutination technique. The gene/allele and phenotype frequencies were determined. Similarities between this tribe and others were calculated using Jaccard’s coefficient of similarities. The phenotypic data obtained was referred to as allele and phenotypes, this is based on reasonable assumptions that every Rh blood group antigen represents a gene that is always expressed and has a Mendelian dominant mode of inheritance. The e,c and D genes were the commonest alleles detected each with frequencies of 94%. C and E antigenes were the least frequent with 17% and 12 % frequencies respectively. The cDe (69%) phenotype is commonest among study group Whereas the CcDe(8%) ,cDE (6%) , cde (6%) and Cde (5%) with intermediate frequency. The CcDEe (3%),cDEe (2%) and CDEe (1%)are least common phenotypes .Blood group O was found to be the most frequent 50%. The frequency of blood group B was 26% and for group A was 18%. Blood group AB was least prevalent 6%. In conclusion marked similarities between Hausa and other Sudanese tribes could probably point to a common ancestry in very ancient. Some changes could be seen and explained by their wandering nature. There is great similarities in the ABO group and the Rh antigens frequencies between Hausa and American blacks , Yorubas in Nigeria . The Hausa population probably maintained their original genetic constitution with minimal genetic change .