Ethnicity and blood group polymorphisms in the population of Melbourne, Australia

In an investigation of the extent of genetic variation in Melbourne, Australia, blood samples were collected from 3 of the largest ethnic groups comprising the present population; 251 Australian born of Anglo-Irish descent, 270 Greek born and 239 Italian born. Each sample was analysed for 5 red cell antigen systems, ABO, MNS, RH, KEL and FY. The Australian born sample was more similar to the Italians than the Greeks except for KEL R matrix and genetic distance analyses indicated that the Greek immigrants were similar to Greeks in Greece, but that Italian immigrants to Melbourne were not as close to a Southern Italian sample as their origins would suggest.