First investigation of RH gene polymorphism in patients with sickle cell disease and associated blood donors in Cameroon, Central Africa

International audience ; Although genetic polymorphism of the RH blood group systemis well known in sub-Saharan Africa, national/regional specificities still remainto be described precisely. For the first time in Cameroon, Central Africa, and inorder to better characterize the molecular basis driving RH phenotype variability,as well as to identify the main antigens that may be potentially responsible foralloimmunization, we sought 1) to study the RH genes in a cohort of 109 patientswith sickle cell disease; 2) to study the same genes in the corresponding donorswhose red blood cells (RBCs) were transfused to the patients (108 donors in 98patients); 3) to predict RH phenotype on the basis of the molecular data andcompare the results with serologic testing; and 4) to identify retrospectivelypatients at risk for alloimmunization.