Abstract
Background Rhesus antigens have been documented to cause haemolytic disease of the newborn as well as acute and delayed transfusion reactions. This study was performed to evaluate the frequency of rhesus antigens (C, c, D, E, and e) in the studied population. Method This study was a cross-sectional study involving 130 prospective blood donors attending University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) donor clinic. Donors were grouped for Rh antisera (anti-E, anti-e, anti-C, anti-c, and anti-D) using the standard serologic technique. Result The most prevalent Rh antigen was “c” (98.5%), followed by “D” (97.7%), while the least was “C” (30.7%). The most prevalent phenotype was cDe/cDe (R0R0). Conclusion This work therefore concludes that the most prevalent rhesus antigen and rhesus phenotype was c and cDe/cDe among blood donors in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital.
Highlights
Rhesus antigens have been documented to cause haemolytic disease of the newborn as well as acute and delayed transfusion reactions. is study was performed to evaluate the frequency of rhesus antigens (C, c, D, E, and e) in the studied population
Two millimeters (2 ml) of venous blood was collected from each of the 130 blood donors through veinpuncture using the antecubital vein into a plain container. e rhesus phenotypes were determined according to manufacturer’s instructions using five specific monoclonal antisera supplied by Lorne Laboratories (United Kingdom). e principle is based on the ability of Lorne reagents to cause a direct agglutination of the test red blood cells that carry the corresponding rhesus antigen. e presence of the group-specific rhesus antigen was indicated by agglutination
Data on various blood group antigens and phenotype frequencies in a population are essential in work-up plan for blood transfusion services [5]
Summary
Rhesus antigens have been documented to cause haemolytic disease of the newborn as well as acute and delayed transfusion reactions. is study was performed to evaluate the frequency of rhesus antigens (C, c, D, E, and e) in the studied population. Is work concludes that the most prevalent rhesus antigen and rhesus phenotype was c and cDe/cDe among blood donors in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. Anti-D is the most immunologically and clinically most important antibody in the rhesus system causing haemolytic transfusion and haemolytic disease in the newborn [10,11,12]. Antibodies to the other Rh phenotype C, c, E, and e, to a Advances in Hematology lesser extent, cause haemolytic disease in the newborn and transfusion haemolytic reaction [10, 13, 14]. Is study is aimed at filling this gap by providing the information on the prevalence of Rh phenotypes among blood donors as a baseline for policy formation and future planning towards safe blood transfusion and prevention of haemolytic disease of the newborn. Two millimeters (2 ml) of venous blood was collected from each of the 130 blood donors through veinpuncture using the antecubital vein into a plain container. e rhesus phenotypes were determined according to manufacturer’s instructions using five specific monoclonal antisera (anti-D, anti-E, anti-C, anti-c, and anti-e) supplied by Lorne Laboratories (United Kingdom). e principle is based on the ability of Lorne reagents to cause a direct agglutination of the test red blood cells that carry the corresponding rhesus antigen. e presence of the group-specific rhesus antigen was indicated by agglutination
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