Heterogeneity of alleles encoding high‐ and low‐prevalence red blood cell antigens across A frica: useful data to facilitate transfusion in A frican patients

Summary Ethnic variations in red blood cell ( RBC ) antigens can be a source of alloimmunization, especially in migrant populations. To improve transfusion safety in continental A frica and countries with A frican migrants, we performed RBC genotyping to determine allele frequencies coding for high‐ and low‐prevalence antigens. A total of 481 blood samples were collected in ethnic groups from W est, C entral and E ast A frica. Molecular typing was performed using a polymerase chain reaction – reverse sequence specific oligonucleotide method. Results demonstrated no DI *1, DI *3, YT *2, SC *2, LW *7, KN *2 alleles in any sample and the CO *2 allele was rare. The frequency of LU *1 was comparable to that of E uropean‐ C aucasians (2%) except in B iaka pygmies (8%). The frequency of CROM *−1 was high in M buti pygmies (13%). High frequency of KN *7 and KN *6 may reflect selection pressure in the countries investigated. Analysis of Dombrock allele patterns confirmed uneven distribution of the DO *1 and DO *2 alleles with high frequencies of DO *−4 and DO *−5 in all groups. Altogether, findings demonstrated extensive allele‐frequency heterogeneity across A frica and suggested that knowledge of patient ethnicity gives information about the high‐prevalence antigens that may be lacking. These data are medically useful to support transfusion care of A frican migrants living in countries where the majority of the population is from a different ethnical background.