Prevalence of “weak B” phenotypes and their evaluation and differentiation in healthy blood donor population in Eastern India

BACKGROUND: Examples of group B red cells that react weakly or not at all with anti-B have been described. Subgroups of B such as B3, Bx, Bm, and Bel are rare and are less frequently reported. We studied the frequency of subgroups of B in our healthy blood donor population and serologically characte...

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Main Authors: Sudipta Sekhar Das, Sourav Mukherjee, Sourav Chowdhury
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2024-12-01
Series:Asian Journal of Transfusion Science
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Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ajts.ajts_36_23
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author Sudipta Sekhar Das
Sourav Mukherjee
Sourav Chowdhury
author_facet Sudipta Sekhar Das
Sourav Mukherjee
Sourav Chowdhury
author_sort Sudipta Sekhar Das
collection DOAJ
description BACKGROUND: Examples of group B red cells that react weakly or not at all with anti-B have been described. Subgroups of B such as B3, Bx, Bm, and Bel are rare and are less frequently reported. We studied the frequency of subgroups of B in our healthy blood donor population and serologically characterized and differentiated these subgroups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The 9-year prospective study included 84,534 healthy blood donors. Initial blood grouping and antibody screening of all donor samples were performed using automated solid-phase assay. Any sample showing blood group discrepancy or weaker agglutination was subjected to further immunohematological investigations. RESULTS: Among 84,534 healthy donors, “B” blood group was found in 29,190 (34.53%). Weak B phenotypes were demonstrated in 9 (0.031%) B donors. Among the 9 weak B phenotypes, B3 was the most common followed by Bm. The frequency of B3, Bm, Bx, and Bel in our blood donor population was found to be 1 in 21,133, 1 in 28,178, 1 in 84,534, and 1 in 84,534, respectively. Red cell agglutination with anti-B and anti-AB varied from Wk+ to 2+ with or without mixed-field agglutination in the B3 and Bx phenotypes. Naturally occurring anti-B of immunoglobulin M type was detected in the Bx donor. Two (22.2%) of the 9 donors were found to be nonsecretor. Adsorption-elution demonstrated “B” antigen specificity in different strengths in Bm, Bx, and Bel phenotypes. CONCLUSION: We conclude that differentiating weak subgroups of “B” by serological assays is possible to a great extent with technical expertise. Mistyping weak subgroups of B as “O” group may lead to reporting errors and wrong blood transfusion. Therefore, blood centers in developing countries including India should establish simple techniques to detect and differentiate weak subgroups and develop procedures to ensure safe blood transfusion and transplantation.
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spelling doaj-art-ec9d452e05234e65aab64337462f1a3b2025-01-08T09:07:39ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsAsian Journal of Transfusion Science0973-62471998-35652024-12-0118222522910.4103/ajts.ajts_36_23Prevalence of “weak B” phenotypes and their evaluation and differentiation in healthy blood donor population in Eastern IndiaSudipta Sekhar DasSourav MukherjeeSourav ChowdhuryBACKGROUND: Examples of group B red cells that react weakly or not at all with anti-B have been described. Subgroups of B such as B3, Bx, Bm, and Bel are rare and are less frequently reported. We studied the frequency of subgroups of B in our healthy blood donor population and serologically characterized and differentiated these subgroups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The 9-year prospective study included 84,534 healthy blood donors. Initial blood grouping and antibody screening of all donor samples were performed using automated solid-phase assay. Any sample showing blood group discrepancy or weaker agglutination was subjected to further immunohematological investigations. RESULTS: Among 84,534 healthy donors, “B” blood group was found in 29,190 (34.53%). Weak B phenotypes were demonstrated in 9 (0.031%) B donors. Among the 9 weak B phenotypes, B3 was the most common followed by Bm. The frequency of B3, Bm, Bx, and Bel in our blood donor population was found to be 1 in 21,133, 1 in 28,178, 1 in 84,534, and 1 in 84,534, respectively. Red cell agglutination with anti-B and anti-AB varied from Wk+ to 2+ with or without mixed-field agglutination in the B3 and Bx phenotypes. Naturally occurring anti-B of immunoglobulin M type was detected in the Bx donor. Two (22.2%) of the 9 donors were found to be nonsecretor. Adsorption-elution demonstrated “B” antigen specificity in different strengths in Bm, Bx, and Bel phenotypes. CONCLUSION: We conclude that differentiating weak subgroups of “B” by serological assays is possible to a great extent with technical expertise. Mistyping weak subgroups of B as “O” group may lead to reporting errors and wrong blood transfusion. Therefore, blood centers in developing countries including India should establish simple techniques to detect and differentiate weak subgroups and develop procedures to ensure safe blood transfusion and transplantation.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ajts.ajts_36_23abo discrepancyadsorption-elutionsaliva testsubgroups of bweak b phenotypes
spellingShingle Sudipta Sekhar Das
Sourav Mukherjee
Sourav Chowdhury
Prevalence of “weak B” phenotypes and their evaluation and differentiation in healthy blood donor population in Eastern India
Asian Journal of Transfusion Science
abo discrepancy
adsorption-elution
saliva test
subgroups of b
weak b phenotypes
title Prevalence of “weak B” phenotypes and their evaluation and differentiation in healthy blood donor population in Eastern India
title_full Prevalence of “weak B” phenotypes and their evaluation and differentiation in healthy blood donor population in Eastern India
title_fullStr Prevalence of “weak B” phenotypes and their evaluation and differentiation in healthy blood donor population in Eastern India
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence of “weak B” phenotypes and their evaluation and differentiation in healthy blood donor population in Eastern India
title_short Prevalence of “weak B” phenotypes and their evaluation and differentiation in healthy blood donor population in Eastern India
title_sort prevalence of weak b phenotypes and their evaluation and differentiation in healthy blood donor population in eastern india
topic abo discrepancy
adsorption-elution
saliva test
subgroups of b
weak b phenotypes
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ajts.ajts_36_23
work_keys_str_mv AT sudiptasekhardas prevalenceofweakbphenotypesandtheirevaluationanddifferentiationinhealthyblooddonorpopulationineasternindia
AT souravmukherjee prevalenceofweakbphenotypesandtheirevaluationanddifferentiationinhealthyblooddonorpopulationineasternindia
AT souravchowdhury prevalenceofweakbphenotypesandtheirevaluationanddifferentiationinhealthyblooddonorpopulationineasternindia