Red blood cell extended antigen phenotype prevalence among the Omani population

It is well known that red blood cell allelic and phenotype frequencies vary between different populations depending on the variable ethnic backgrounds. Most data in the literature include frequencies of the phenotypes in the western countries. The prevalence of these in the Omani and Arab population is unknown. This project aims at studying the prevalence of different phenotypes present of different red blood cell antigens among the Omani population. Beside this, it will provide a basis of the first local registry of fully phenotyped Omani blood donors. Extended red blood cell phenotype will be performed on donors attending the Sultan Qaboos University Blood Bank. Frequencies of different antigenic alleles will be examined and will be compared with what has been published in populations with different ethnic backgrounds.