[The erythrocyte phenotype in ABO and Rh blood groups in blood donors and blood recipients in a hospital setting of Cameroon: adapting supply to demand].

The administration of ABO and Rh compatible blood products is primordial for the immulogic safety of blood during blood transfusion, more so in resource limited settings where blood grouping is confined to ABO and Rh testing only. Thus, from an immunological perspective, the frequency of blood phenotypes and the qualitative balance between supply and demand of blood products in a Cameroonian hospital were analyzed. All blood collected was phenotypically typed and compared to the phenotypes of all transfusion recipients during the same period. A total of 1007 units of blood and 1013 recipients were typed. Our results showed that in the donor group, the frequencies of phenotypes A, B, AB, O, and RH1 were respectively 24.2 %, 18.8 %, 5.7 %, 51.3 % and 97.6 %. In the recipient group, the respective frequencies were 40 %, 12.4 %, 3.4 %, 44.2 % and 96.9 %. The supply for blood phenotypes O, B and AB was higher than the demand, and the reverse was true for phenotype A and RH-1. Further sensitization of phenotype A and RH-1 donors may enhance meeting these needs.