DEL phenotype in RhD-negative North Indian blood donors

Rh-DEL type is not detected on routine serology and requires specialized adsorption elution methods which are laborious. Identifying the DEL phenotype in blood donors is important to prevent alloimmunization in transfusion recipients. The present study aimed to determine the frequency of DEL phenotype in RhD-negative North Indian blood donors and correlate the results with Rh Cc/Ee phenotype.

In this prospective descriptive cross-sectional study, a total of 205 blood donors with historic blood group RhD-negative were enrolled. All samples were subjected to blood grouping using a fully automated immunohematology analyzer and samples that typed as RhD negative by two different anti-D antisera were tested for Weak D. Weak D-negative samples were subjected to adsorption and elution for DEL phenotype. All samples were also tested for extended Rh phenotype for C/c and E/e antigens.

Of the total 11934 donors during the study, 6.2% (n = 743) donors were RhD negative. Of the 205 donors enrolled in the study, two donor samples were serologically weak D positive. None of the remaining 203 donors tested positive for the DEL phenotype. The extended Rh phenotype performed for these donors showed that 6.83% (n = 14) donors were positive for RhC antigen and 1.46% (n = 3) were positive for Rh E antigen. Both weak D-positive donors were also positive for the Rh C antigen.

The prevalence of DEL phenotype is low in the Indian population and studies with larger sample sizes are required to determine the effectiveness of routine C/E typing as a strategy to identify DEL-positive individuals.