International Journal of Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Research

Background: The human ABO type has three alleles (A, B and O); a phenomenon called multi-alleism. Its phenotype could be O, A, B or AB. The composition of an individual’s blood type is always based on inheritance of gene on chromosome 9(9q34) which encodes glycosyl transferases that transfer some oligosaccharide residues to the H antigen, resulting in the formation of antigens for the A and B blood groups but the blood group O lacks such activity. The Rh blood type (Rhesus) is also very important in blood transfusion biology. It is very polymorphic as it contains more than forty-four (44) different antigens.

Having adequate information about the distribution and the variations of the different blood groups and Rhesus factor in a population is very critical for the clinical infrastructure of that population, And in a populous and richly diverse country like Nigeria

Aims:  To determine ABO and Rhesus Blood Group Patterns Among Hospital Patients and voluntary blood donors that attended David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, Uburu, Ebonyi state, Nigeria between November 2022 to December 2023.

Methodology: The data was collected from the record of the blood  donors and patients screened from November, 2022 to December, 2023 in David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, Uburu, a tertiary healthcare facility in Ebonyi State, South Eastern Nigeria. 

Blood samples were collected via venipuncture while the ABO sampling was carried out by the standard rapid tile method.

Result: The study was comprised of 237 samples of 70.5% (167) of  external blood donors and 30% (70) of the participants were patients of the hospital patients.  76.4% were  males while 23.6% were  females, with an age range of 17 to 59 years. 

Blood group O was found to be highest occurring accounting for 53.2% followed by A, B and AB in that order .Most of the blood groups were found to be Rhesus positive (95.8%) while only a minority were Rhesus negative ( 4.2%) among the study population.

Conclusion: This findings will be useful in health care planning, genetic counseling and running of an organized, efficient and safe blood transfusion services. Routine screening of blood group O for hemolysin is recommended to prevent hemolytic transfusion reaction. Rhesus negative blood group were found to be few. Institution of blood donor registry is also recommended for easy accessibility to rhesus negative blood for transfusion especially in cases of emergency and also to prevent hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn.

ABO blood group, Rhesus factor, Blood transfusion, Nigeria, Blood donors, Hemolytic reaction.

1. Giangrande PL. The history of blood transfusion. British Journal of Haematology 2000;110 (4):758–67.
2. Landsteiner K. Zur kenntnis der antifermentativen, lytischen und agglutinierenden wirkungen des blutserums und der lymphe. Zentbl. Bakt 1900;27:367
3. DesCasterllo A, Sturli A. Uber die Isoagglutinine im Serum gesunder und kranker menschen. Mfinch Med Wschar 1902;49:1090–5.
4. Yamamoto F, Clausen H, White T, Marken J, Hakomori S. Molecular genetic basis of the histoblood group ABO system. Nature 1990;345(6272):229–33.
5. Ware AD, Jacquot C, Tobian A a. R, et al. Pathogen reduction and blood transfusion safety in Africa: strengths, limitations and challenges of implementation in low-resource settings. Vox Sang 2018; 113: 3–12.
6. Sharma, D., Rai, S., Iyenger, S., Jain, B. and Sao, S. (2013). Prevalence and distribution of ABO and Rh-D antigens along with its subgroups and rare types in greater Gwalior region. Open Journal of Blood Disease. 3(2): 69-73
7. Storry JR, Olsson ML. The ABO blood group system revisited: a review and update. Immunohematology 2009;25:48–59.
8. Contreras, M. and Daniels, G. (2011) Antigens in human blood. In: Hoffbrand VA, Catovsky D, Tuddenham EGD, Green AR (eds). 244- 258.
9. Cheng Y., Cheng G., Chui C. H., Lau F. Y., Chan P. K., Ng M. H.5, et al. ABO blood group and susceptibility to severe acute respiratory syndrome. JAMA J Am Med Assoc 2005; 293(12):1450–1. 
10. Odokuma, E. I., Okolo, A. C. and Aloamaka, P. C. (2007). Distribution of ABO and Rhesus blood groups in Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences. 22(1-2): 89-91.
11. Egesie, U. G., Egesie, O. J., Usar, I. and Johnbull, T. O. (2008). Distribution of ABO, rhesus blood groups and hemoglobin electrophoresis among the undergraduate students of Niger Delta University Nigeria. Nigeria Journal of Physiological Sciences. 23 (1-2): 5-8.
12. Ugwu, N. I. (2016). Pattern of ABO and Rhesus blood group distribution among students of EBSU, Nigeria. Asian Journal of Medical Science. 7. 101-104.
13. Ikechukwu E. O. , Ezinne V. M., Esther I. U. , Sabina C. E. , Jude I. O. , Patience O. U. Comparative ABO blood group and rhesus factor distribution between homogenous and heterogenous populations in South Eastern Nigeria. Asian Journal of Medical Sciences. 2019; 10(5): 37-42
14. Obeagu, E. I., Ogbodo, O. R., Onyenweaku, F., Emelike, C. U. and Udochukwu, A. I. (2013) Frequency distribution of ABO, Rh blood groups and blood genotypes among the students and staff of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike Abia State, Nigeria. IJRRPAS. 3(4): 561-565. 
15. Anifowoshea A. T., Owolodun O. A., Akinseye K. N., Iyiola O. A., and Oyeyemi B. F.. Gene frequencies of ABO and Rh blood groups in Nigeria: A review. Egypt Journal of Medical Human Genetics 2017; 18: 205–210.
16. Enosolease M. E. and Bazuaye G. N. Distribution of ABO and Rh-D blood groups in the Benin area of Niger-Delta: Implication for regional blood transfusion. Asian Journal of Transfusion Science 2008; 2(1): 3–5.
17. Hassan, A., Babadoko, A. A., Ahmed, A. J., Isa, H. A. and Suleiman, A. M. (2005). The pattern of distribution of ABO blood groups in North Western Nigeria. Annals of Nigerian Medicine 1(2): 17-18. 
18. Musa, A. U., Ndakotsu, M. A., Abdul-Aziz, H., Kilishi, A. and Aliyu, I. (2015). Distribution of ABO and Rhesus blood group systems among blood donors in Sokoto North-western Nigeria. Journal of Applied Hematology. 6. 136-138.
19. Bamidele, O., Dennis, S., Arokoyo D and Abiola O. (2013). Distribution of ABO and Rhesus blood groups among medical students in Bowen University, Iwo. Nigeria Ann Biol Res, 4(11):1-6.
20. Olaniyan T. O., Ajibola B. M., Rasong H., Dare B. J., Shafe M. O. and Adelaiye A. B.. Blood Group and Rhesus Factor Pattern among Indigenes of FCT, Abuja, Nigeria. Journal of Community Medical Health Education. 2013; 3: 208
21. Khan, M. S., Farooq, N., Qamar, N., Tahir, F. S., Kazi, B. M., Fiyaz, M. et al. (2006). Trends in blood groups and Rh factor in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. J Pakistan Medical Association. 56(7): 299-302. 
22. Olawumi, H. O. and Olatunji, P. O. (2001). Prevalence and titre of alpha and beta hemolysins in blood group O donors in Ilorin. African Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences. 30(4): 319-321. 
23. Ghobadian, Z., Sayemiri, K., Zeinaii, M. and Saijjadi, S. M. (2014). Distribution of ABO and Rh blood groups in a major ethnic group of the West Iran, the Kurdish population. Asian Journal of Medical Sciences. 5(3): 26-29. 
24. Rai, V. and Kumar, P. (2011). Genetic analysis of ABO and Rh blood groups in Backward Caste Population of Uttar Pradesh, India. National Sci Biol. 3(3): 7-14
25. Nwauche C. A. and Ejele O. A. ABO and rhesus antigens in a cosmopolitan Nigeria population. Nigerian Journal of Medicine 2004; 13(3): 263-266.