Frequency of ABO and Rh blood groups and their combinations in peoples surrounding Ashiyan Medical College, Dhaka

Abstract

Introduction: Among 35 blood group systems, we determine only ABO blood group and Rh (D)blood group, because of their greater clinical importance in transfusion immunology. Othergroups are less important and usually are not determined routinely. In our country, frequenciesof ABO blood groups and Rh blood groups were studied about 40 years ago by our renownedProf. Dr. M Rahman. Although several studies were done later but little variation found. Aimsand Objectives: The study was aimed to reevaluate previous data about the frequency of ABOand Rh blood groups, and to obtain their combined frequencies. Methodology: Ashiyan MedicalCollege had arranged several free health camps in the nearby villages around hospital. We haddone free blood grouping among 3797 people during the period from 20/03/13 to 28/02/16.As blood grouping was done in camps, slide method was applied by finger prick. Results: Oftotal 3797 people, male were 1717 (45.22%) and female 2080 (54.78%). Among them, GroupA was 969 (25.52%), B was 1233 (32.47%), O was 1227 (32.32%) and AB was 368 (9.69%). Rh(D) positive were 3644 (95.97%) and Rh (D) negative were 153 (4.03%). These results were oflittle variation in comparison to previous data obtained previously (Rahman M et al 1978),where A group were 22.44%, B group were 35.20%, AB group were (8.39%) and O group33.97%, and Rh (D) positive were 97.44% and Rh D negative were 2.56%. We got the combinedfrequencies of ABO and Rh blood groups as such: A positive 24.44%, A negative 1.08%, B positive31.26% B negative 1.21%, AB positive 9.32 %, AB negative 0.37%, O positive 30.95%, and Onegative 1.37%. Conclusion: Result of this very small scale study is apparently same as previousstudies. Moreover, to get recent national frequencies of ABO and Rh blood groups and theircombination, we need a large scale study including not only Bengali people but also all theethnic and tribal groups of Bangladesh.