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are Manasa, , Mansingh, Barpahari, Dharmaraj, and Distribution of ABO and Kudrasini. The socioeconomic status and the literacy rate rhesus blood groups of Bauris are very low.[5] Pregnant Bauri women attending the Sammilani among pregnant Bauri Medical College and Hospital (BSMCH) formed the study population. During the period between June 2010 women in Bankura and August 2010, 246 blood samples were studied. ABO and Rh blood groupings of the subjects were carried out district of by standard tile techniques with appropriate positive and negative controls using one drop of whole blood mixed with Sir, one drop of appropriate anti-sera and rocked gently. The Classification of blood into groups is based on the used anti-sera were obtained from Tulip Diagnostics Pvt. presence or absence of inherited antigenic substances Ltd., Goa (India). In case of doubt, the test was examined on the surface of red blood cells (RBCs). Blood groups under a microscope, or the results were confirmed by reverse are genetically determined and exhibit polymorphism grouping using known group A and B red cells.[6] Data in different populations.[1] ABO blood groups are the on the frequency of ABO and Rh-D blood groups were most investigated blood group system, and they have reported in simple percentages. been used as genetic markers of populations.[1,2] It is well established that ABO blood groups vary widely The distribution of the ABO and Rh blood groups among both within and among ethnic groups and across the the Bauri population of is depicted in geographical boundaries.[2] The blood group distribution Table 1. The most frequently occurring blood group in different groups of population is important in health in Bauri population was B (37.4%), followed by blood care and blood transfusion.[1,2] group O (29.67%) and A (23.58%). While group AB was the least encountered phenotype with a frequency The relevance of having knowledge about the blood of <10% among the samples studied. The phenotypic group systems among different ethnic groups in any frequencies with respect to ABO system in the present population is enormous. The types of information obtained study can be shown as B > O > A > AB. The prevalence from the findings are useful for genetic information, of the ABO phenotypes linked with Rh phenotype was genetic counseling, medical diagnosis, general and B± (36.18%), followed by O± (29.27%), A± (22.76%), physiological wellbeing of individuals in a population.[2] and AB± (8.94%). The lowest prevalence was that of It is, therefore, imperative to have information on the AB–(0.004%). distribution of these blood groups in any population group that comprise different ethnic groups. Distribution of ABO and Rh(D) blood groups among Lodha tribe in Midnapore district of West Bengal was In India, few studies have been carried out on the distribution analysed and it was observed that incidence of group A was of blood groups in various endogamous populations[2,3] but maximum and incidence of group AB was minimum; 99.5% dearth of data in West Bengal.[4] This study was, therefore, of the subjects were ‘Rh’ positive.[4] However, in a study designed to provide the information on the distribution on the distribution of ABO and Rh among the Brahmin of ABO and Rh blood groups among the Bauri pregnant and Kushwaha populations of Jhansi Uttar Pradesh the women of Bankura, West . prevalence recorded is O >B >A > AB.[2] Our studies are in agreement with respect to ABO and Rh systems with The Bauris are a comparatively well-known sizeable caste the general formula B > O > A > AB, in a previous study group in West Bengal. The total Bauri population in West conducted in the Banjara backward caste of Maharashtra.[3] Bengal is 1,091,022 constituting 5.9% of the total scheduled Jaff[1] reported that the most prevalent blood group was O caste population of the state. Bauri is a cultivating, earth- (37.16%) and the least prevalent was AB (6.53%) and the working, and palanquin-bearing caste, whose features and majority were Rh positive (91.73%) in the Kurdish ethnic complexion suggest that they may be of non-Aryan descent. group of Iraq.[1] These differences with the present study may Bauris profess to be Hindus of the Sakta sect, but in Western be due to different geographical locations different ethnicities. Bengal, at any rate, their connection with Hinduism is of the slenderest kind, and their favourite objects of worship The present study showed that there was a real

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Table 1: Distribution of ABO and rhesus blood groups among pregnant Bauri women (n = 246) ABO blood group Rh factor (D) No Frequency Total A Positive 56 22.76 58 (23.58) Negative 2 0.008 B Positive 89 36.18 92 (37.4) Negative 3 0.12 AB Positive 22 8.94 23 (9.35) Negative 1 0.004 O Positive 72 29.27 73 (29.67) Negative 1 0.004 Total Positive 239 97.15 246 (100) Negative 7 2.85

preponderance of the blood group B over the blood REFERENCES groups O, A and specially AB as well as Rh(D) positive over Rh(D) negative. 1. Jaff MS. ABO and rhesus blood group distribution in Kurds. J Blood Med 2010;1:143-6. 2. Dar NJ, Srivastava A, Dar FA. Distribution of ABO blood groups and ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Rh(D) factor among the Brahmin and Kushwaha populations of Jhansi District(U.P). Nature Precedings 2011; hdl:10.1038/npre.6362.1. The authors would like to acknowledge the laboratory staff of 3. Pawar ACS, Baig MM. Allelic frequency of ABO and Rh D blood group among the Banjara backward caste of Yavatmal District, Maharashtra, the Pathology department of the Bankura Sammilani Medical India. Nature Precedings 2010; hdl:10101/npre.5482.1. College and Hospital, Bankura, for assisting in sample collections 4. Datta UK, Mondal S, Mukherjee S. A study of the distribution of ABO and laboratory analysis. and Rh(D) blood groups amongst Lodha tribe in Midnapore district of West Bengal. J Indian Med Assoc 1997;95:497-506. Bikash Mondal, Soumyajit Maiti1,2, Bikramjit Maity3, 5. Risley HH. Tribes and Caste of Bengal. Vol. I and II. (Reprint Vol. 1998). Debidas Ghosh1,2, Shyamapada Paul1,2 Kolkata: Firma KLM Ltd;1891. 6. Dacie JV, Lewis SM. Practical Haematology. In: Lewis SM, Bain BJ, 3 Departments of Pathology, and Surgery Bates I, editors. 9th ed. London: Churchill Livingstone, Harcourt Bankura Sammilani Medical College and Hospital, Publishers Limited; 2001. p. 444-51. Bankura, 1Department of Bio-Medical Laboratory Science and Management, (U.G.C. Innovative Funded Department), Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, 2Rural Research Institute of Access this article online Physiology and Applied Nutrition (RRIPAN), Quick Response Code: ‘Gitanjali’, Dr. Nilay Paul Road, Midnapore, Website: West Bengal, India www.ijhas.in Address for correspondence: Dr. Shyamapada Paul, Rural Research Institute of Physiology and Applied Nutrition (RRIPAN), ‘Gitanjali’, Dr. Nilay Paul Road, DOI: Midnapore 721 101, West Bengal, India. 10.4103/2278-344X.101725 E-mail: [email protected]

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