Duffy Red Cell Antigen Phenotype among Indigenous Pregnant Women attending Antenatal Clinic at Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, Nigeria.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Duffy (FY) blood group system is implicated in transfusion incompatibilities and haemolytic disease of the foetus and newborn. The primary objective was to determine the Duffy phenotype among the indigenous pregnant women in Gombe, Gombe State, Nigeria.

Materials and Methods: This was a cross sectional study where simple random sampling was employed on consented participants. Two hundred and fifty nine pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe were randomly recruited into the study. Three milliliters (3mls) of blood was taken, and Duffy antigens typed by standard tube technique (LORNE LABORATORY UK).

Results: Among the Indigenous tribe, the percentage of Fy(a+b+) was seen in 2.2% of Fulani and 3.4% of Tangale, Fy(a+b-) phenotype was seen in 4.3% of Tangale, 6.8% of Fulani,9.5%  of Tera, 10.3% of Hausa and 10.5% of Waja.  Fy(a-b+) phenotype was seen in 5.3% of Waja, 7.6% of Fulani,8.7% of Tangale, 9.5% of Tera and 12.5% of Bolawa. Fy(a-b-) phenotype was seen in 2.4% of Tula,6.4% of Bolawa,7.3% of Waja, 7.8% of Tera, 17.8% of Tangale, 11.8% of Hausa and 46.5% of Fulani. 84.6% of the study population had the null Duffy phenotype.

Conclusion:  The research showed the phenotypic distribution of Duffy blood group among the study participants with relatively high percentage of null Duffy phenotype hence possible risk of alloimmunisation.