P-51 Distribution and frequency of principal Rh blood group antigens (D, C, c, E, and e), Kell antigen, and DAT positivity among blood donors at the National Blood Transfusion Services in Guyana
Author(s):
R Kurup , P Lewis , T Puran , N Ramdeen , M McKenzie
Year of Presentation:
2023
Objective: To determine the prevalence of Kell antigen, DAT positivity, Rh antigen, and Rh phenotype among blood donors at the National Blood Transfusion Services in Guyana.
Methods: The study was a retrospective, laboratory-based study collected for the year October 2019 - October 2021. All information regarding Kell antigen, DAT, Rh antigen, and Rh phenotypes was collected from the NBTS. Ethical approval for the study was granted by Institutional Review Board, Ministry of Public Health, Guyana.
Results: The study had 15,494 donors from regions 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, and 10 and mobile drive. The study had blood group O at 47.7%, A at 22.3%, B (at 23.9%, and AB at 6.1%. Among the total blood donors, 392 (2.5%) had a negative Rh and 15,102 (97.5%) had a positive Rh. Interestingly, 63 (0.4%) were recorded as having the presence of weakly expressed D antigen. Percentage of Kell antigen recorded with 208 (1.3%) and DAT positivity with 19 (0.1%). The phenotype distribution of c+ was the most dominant antigen (76.3%) followed by e+ (72.2%), C+ (53.8%), and E+ (31.8%). The most common phenotype among Rh-positive (D antigen) donors was Dccee (40.1%) followed by DCcee (27.8%). The most common phenotype among Rh-negative (D antigen) donors was dccee (1.6%). The majority of the Dccee phenotype was present in the Afro-Guyanese ethnic groups.
Conclusion: The knowledge on the presence of antigens would help in better handling of databases of blood donors as well as provide information on blood incompatibility of patients with various alloantibodies.