Obisesan OA¹, Ogundeko TO^2,, Iheanacho CU¹, Abdulrazak T³, Idyu VC⁴, Idyu II⁵, Isa AH⁶

Background: Antibodies with haemolytic properties are common within the ABO system. These lytic antibodies are immunoglobulin G (IgG) and in high titres cause haemolysis during blood transfusion. Information on Immunoglobulin types and concentration of ABO haemolysins in Nigerian population is not readily available especially in Northern Nigeria. Methods: Serum samples from 200 males and 25 females O group blood donors were screened for A and B haemolysins. Forty two positive samples (38 males and 4 females) were treated with dithiothretiol (DTT) for characterization of IgG class. Antibody titre was compared with grade of haemolysis. Results: Out of 50 positive samples 42 highly haemolytic serum samples had IgG titres of > or = 64 after treatment with DTT. There was 18.6% occurrence of α and or β haemolysins in blood group O donors also with average titre values of α-haemolysins (68.2) and β-haemolysins (67).Conclusion: Results showsclear indication of high incidence of α and β haemolysins among the healthy blood group O donors hence, Haemolysin test was found to be a useful screening test to identify group O donors with high levels of IgG anti A and/or anti B as far as safe blood transfusion is concerned. Aim: The study was determined the incidence of ά and β haemolysins in healthy blood group O donors in the Blood Bank Unit of ATBUTH Bauchi.

alpha (α) and beta (β) haemolysin, group “O”, gender, prevalence, Bauchi-Nigeria