Distribution of ABO and Rhesus (D) blood group antigens among the Indian Kami population from the Sub-Himalayan region of West Bengal and Sikkim, India

Abstract

Abstract BACKGROUND: Limited information is available regarding the distribution of ABO and Rhesus (Rh) blood groups among the populations from the sub-Himalayan regions. The present study was undertaken to understand the phenotypic, genotypic, and allelic frequencies of ABO and Rh antigens among the Kami population. METHODS: A total of 1420 Kami individuals were included in the study from the sub-Himalayan region of West Bengal and Sikkim. The ABO and RhD blood groups were determined among 158 individuals by standard slide agglutination method, and from 1262 individuals blood group, data were collected who had undergone routine blood group tests in diagnostic laboratories. RESULTS: The frequency of blood group O (31.06%) was found to be the highest followed by B (29.15%), A (27.54%), and AB (12.25%). A total of 97.89% individuals were Rh (D) positive and 2.11% were Rh (D) negative. The allele frequencies of ABO were found to be 0.200 for IA (p), 0.243 for IB (q), and 0.557 for IO (r). For Rh (D), the calculated gene frequencies were 0.855 for Rh positive (ID) and 0.145 for Rh negative (Id). Among the subcaste of Kami population, a significantly high frequency of blood group A was observed among Baraily and Lamgade, O among Sashankar, Dural, Diyali, and Dutraj, and B among Ramudamu, Koirala, and Silal. CONCLUSION: The study is the first of its kind to comprehensively describe the ABO blood group distribution among the Kami population which shows the same trend as the general Indian population.