International Blood Research & Reviews

Blood group antigen variability has significant implications for transfusion safety and prevention of alloimmunization, particularly in multi-ethnic populations where antigen expression may differ. This study investigated the distribution of Kell and Duffy blood group antigens among blood donors in Rivers State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 412 voluntary blood donors aged 23–48 years, selected through simple random sampling technique. The participants comprised 218 (53%) males and 194 (47%) females, distributed as 158 (38%) Ikwerre, 136 (33%) Ogoni, and 118 (29%) Ijaw. Standard serological techniques were used for Duffy and Kell phenotyping, and data were analyzed descriptively. Results showed that of the 412 donors, Duffy phenotype Fy^(a−b−) was 400 (97.09%) subjects, Fy^(a+b−) was 4 (0.97%), and Fy^(a−b+) was 8 (1.94%), and a complete absence of Fy^(a+b+) (0%). The Kell (K) antigen was absent in all donors (0%). Fy^(a−b−) was more frequent in males (52.43%) than in females (44.66%). Findings from this study suggest a predominance of Fy^(a−b−), which aligns with established African genetic patterns, while the absence of the K antigen indicates a low alloimmunization risk, including notable gender and tribal variations. However, further multi-centre studies, molecular genotyping, and broader donor recruitment are recommended to validate and strengthen these findings.