International Journal of Research and Reports in Hematology

Background: The indispensable role of genetic predisposition, racial segregation, ethnic variations and population diversity in the secretion and non-secretion status of the ABH antigenic substances have garnered significance interest among researchers. There is greater quest to establish the secretor status of ABH antigenic substances in different human samples in male and female individuals in various cities across the world.

Aim: The current study was aimed at determining the knowledge level, prevalence of distributive frequency and ratio pattern of secretion and non-secretion status of ABH antigenic substances as one of the newest blood group systems among apparently healthy male and female individuals of Bamenda II Municipality, Northwest Region, Cameroon.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study which lasted for one year (2022 to 2023) utilized  an experimental design with randomized simple sampling and purposeful sample sampling techniques while participants were provided with an opened semi- structural questionnaire after obtaining informed / written consents. Administrative ethical approval was obtained from appropriate authority in accordance with the law in force. Five milliliters of venous blood were collected from the antecubital vein of pre-counseled participants using standard procedures. About five milliliters of urine samples were collected using sterilized universal urinary containers while Three milliliters of saliva samples were collected from the mouth of 630 participants (comprising of 303 (48.1%) samples from the male group (MG) and 327(51.9%) samples from the female group (FG) respectively using a commercial whole-saliva collecting disposable device before transferring into a clean, dried and labeled 16 x 100mm centrifuge Pyrex tubes respectively. Salivary test for the determination of ABH secretor status in plasma, urine and saliva samples were done by Hemagglutination and Inhibition method using Anti-sera H (Lectin) reagent / kit tools which had been manufactured from a purified extract of Ulex europaeus seeds and supplied by BIOTEC Laboratories Limited. The manufactural manual was strictly followed in all procedures with inclusion of appropriate standards.

Results: After collation, coding and entry of raw data into IBM-SPSS version 26 for data analysis, the mean age (years) for female was 32.99±1.01 and male 28.95±7.85 with statistically significant difference between ages (P<0.05, t=7.2822, P=0.0001). A total of 546 (86.7%) comprising of 260 (41.3) male and 286(45.4%) female participants had no pre-exiting knowledge (NPEK) of secretor and non-secretor of ABH antigenic substances of study population. Conversely, only 84(13.3%) comprising 43(6.8%) males and 41(6.5%) females had some pre-existing knowledge (SPEK) of secretor and non-secretor ABH antigenic substances of the study population. The prevalence of frequency distribution of secretor and non-secretor status of ABH antigenic substances among apparently healthy individuals in Bamenda II Municipality using saliva samples were 449 (71.3%) secretors [216 (34.3%) males, 233 (36.9%) females] and 181 (28.7%) non-secretors [87 (13.8%) males, 94 (14.9%) females].Using  plasma samples there  were 467 (74.1%) secretors [221 (35.1%) males, 246 (39%) females] and 163 (25.9%) non-secretors [82 (13%) males, 81 (12.9%) females].Finally, using urine samples there were 542 (86.1%) secretors [255 (40.5%) males, 287 (45.6%) females] and 88 (13.9%) non-secretors [48 (7.6%) males, 40 (6.3%) females] respectively. The Se/Nse Ratio pattern were 3.5:1 and 4.52:1 for both male and female respectively. Statistically significant difference between genders (P<0.05), X²=3.873 and P=0.0491.

Conclusion: The current study has demonstrated the presence of secreted ABH antigenic substances in saliva, urine and plasma samples and hence these samples can be utilized for the determination of the secretor and non-secretor status of ABH antigenic substance in humans. The study also revealed a highest prevalence rate of (86.1%) secretors and (28.7%) non-secretors of ABH antigenic substances in urine samples, closely followed by (74.1%) secretors and (13.9%) non-secretors in plasma samples and lastly saliva samples having the lowest prevalence of (71.3%) secretors and (25.9%) non-secretors. Majority (71.3-86.1%) of secretor participants across all sample types and female secretors had higher prevalence than males. Our findings were aligned with previous findings cited in other non-Caucasian   and Caucasian populations.