“Prevalence of Blood Groups in Eastern UP Population”

: Approximately 300 different types of blood groups are identified so far, the ABO and Rh antigens are still the clinically most significant and genetically most polymorphic of all human blood group systems to date. A total of 200 unrelated individuals from Uttar Pradesh were studied for the phenotype and allele frequency distribution of ABO and Rh (D) blood groups. In total 200 samples analyzed, phenotype B blood type has the highest frequency 36.5% (n=73), followed by O (34.5%; n=69), A (20.5%; n=41) and AB (8.5%; n=17). The O, A and B frequencies were 0.5849, 0.1571 and 0.2580 respectively. The overall phenotypic frequencies of ABO blood groups were B>O>A>AB. The variation in phenotypic frequencies between male and female might be due to small sample size of male sample. The allelic frequency of Rh-negative was 0.2.

are mutant alleles and show codominance with each other but both are dominant over the wild type allele i . The concept of wild type allele is based on the fact that the allele more frequent in a population is a wild type allele (Gardner et al, 2001). Rh antigens are determined by three pairs of closely linked allelic genes located on chromosome 1.
The genotype frequencies for a particular gene(s) in a population depend on the gene frequency and the proportions of different alleles of a gene in a Mendelian (panmictic) population are known as gene frequency. Estimates of gene's frequency provide very valuable information on the genetic similarity of different populations and to some extent on their ancestral genetic linkage, despite the cultural and religious differences of the two populations. Keeping this in view, the present study was designed to see frequency of ABO and Rh blood group antigens in UP population.

Materials and method:
The study was done in Uttar Pradesh (UP). Over three months period (December 2010 to February 2011), a total of 200 unrelated individuals of both genders from Jaunpur and Varanasi, Azamgarh and Mau districts of UP were selected. Blood samples were collected from each subject and relevant data were also collected after taking written consent.
Confidentially, of the data were maintained. Each subject, who accepted to participate in the study, received two sheets, (consent form, and questionnaire). The first sheet was a declaration form for each participant that she/he understood the project/study well, the second sheet was, a questionnaire that included profile/demographic data of the participants.
The blood samples were collected by finger prick with sterile lancet and cleaning the puncture site with 70% ethyl alcohol. A drop of monoclonal anti-A, anti-B, monoclonal/polyclonal anti-D (Span) was added to a drop of finger prick blood on clean slide and mixed well. Results of agglutination were recorded immediately for ABO blood groups and after 2 minutes in Rh(D) (Bhasin and Chahal, 1996). The gene frequencies for this system were calculated according to the method of Mourant et al. (1976).

Results and Discussion:
In total 200 samples analyzed, phenotype B blood type has the highest frequency 36.5% (n=73, followed by O (34.5%; n=69), A (20.5%; n=41) and AB (8.5%; n=17) ( Table 1) A, B and AB blood groups were found in 49, 24, 48 and 11 individuals respectively. In female samples the phenotypic frequencies were B> O> A>AB, whereas in male samples overall phenotypic frequencies were O> B> A>AB ( Table 2). The variation in phenotypic frequencies between male and female might be due to small sample size of male sample.
Difference is marked in case of A blood group between Turkey and Bangladesh (43.8% vs 26.6%) and is highest phenotype in Turkey (43.8%), Palestine (40%) and Nepal (34%). In Britain B blood group is exceptionally low i.e. 8%, whereas it is highest in our study (36.5%). Marked difference of incidence of AB group is observed between Nigeria and Bangladesh (2.8% vs 9.6%). Rh-negative frequency is lowest in Palestine (2.7%) and highest in Iran (11.3%). Rh-negative frequency in present study is comparable with other countries-Guinea, Nepal and Bangladesh (between 3 to 4%) but is exceptionally high in Britain (17%).

Acknowledgement:
We are grateful to the individuals/subjects who participated in this study and without their cooperation this study could not be completed.