GENOTYPIC AND ALLELIC FREQUENCIES OF ABO AND Rh-D BLOOD GROUPS AMONG SECONDARY AND PREPARATORY SCHOOL STUDENTS OF MESELA, WESTERN HARARGHE, OROMIA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

among the same ethnic groups. Therefore, this study was aimed at having information on the allelic and genotypic frequencies of ABO and Rh blood groups among students of Mesela Secondary and Preparatory School, Western Hararge, Oromia, Ethiopia. A total of 400 students were voluntarily selected among students of Mesela. Blood samples were obtained from each student who participated voluntarily in the study. The blood samples were typed by open slide test method between February and March 2017. A drop of each anti-serum anti- A, anti- B, and anti- D was added and observed for agglutination. There were differences in frequency of ABO blood type alleles among students. Blood type O and Rh-positive have the highest frequency while blood type AB and Rh-negative have the lowest frequencies among students .In this study, the frequency distribution of blood type O was 0.4375; followed by blood type A, 0.2750, and blood type B 0.2400, and the least frequency was that of blood type AB which was 0.0475, Whereas, the Rh blood type phenotypic frequencies were 0.95 for Rh positive and 0.05 for Rh negative. The frequencies of ABO blood type alleles were found to be 0.6662, 0.1774, and 0.1564 for IO, IA and I,B respectively. Among the ABO blood group genotypes, the most frequent were IOIO, IAIO and IBIO occurring with frequencies of 0.4438, 0.3264 and 0.2084, respectively. In the Rh blood group system, allele D occurred with a frequency of 0.7764 and d with a frequency of 0.2236. Homozygous Rh blood group genotype DD was the most predominant of the three Rh genotypic classes and occurred with a frequency of 0.6028. The implication of this finding is that blood group O is the most readily available blood group in the study area which is more advantageous for the population in the event of blood transfusion.