Blood Group Distribution in a Study Population and their Associated Rhesus Factor (Uganda)
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Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Scholars Academic and Scientific Publisher
Abstract
Whole blood transfusions have continuously been done in medical hospitals as the major line of emergency
recovery on the African continent as a result of limited infrastructure despite of the fact that the general blood group
status is poorly understood. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalent blood groups and their associated rhesus
factor. This was a cross sectional study conducted for a period of two months at Kampala International University
Teaching Hospital involving a total of 47 undergraduate students, blood was picked by pricking the index finger and
placed on a white tile from which the antigens were added to it. The study revealed that majority (53.2%) of the
population had blood group O with the greatest prevalence being in the male population and blood group B was the
second prevalent blood group in this study. This would probably be due to the establishment of endemic stability with
malaria infections in the community. This would be due to genetic selection thus favoring the proliferation of the B and
O blood groups as they appear to offer a mutuality protective advantage against plasmodium parasites. The major
associated Rhesus factor were of O+ (53.2%) and B+ (21.3%) which showed that there was a significant downward shift
in the levels of the Rhesus antigen. Blood group O was the most prevalent probably due to its evolutionary advantage in
the region. Phenotypic expression need to be investigated further for the development of a strong hematological team in
various rural communities.
Description
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Keywords
Blood groups, Uganda, Prevalence, Blood Distribution, Rhesus Factor