ON THE ABO GENE AND Rh CHROMOSOME DISTRIBUTION IN THE WHITE POPULATION OF MANITOBA

Abstract

In the Province of Manitoba, Canada, all men and women prior to marriage have their ABO and Rh blood groups determined. An analysis has been made of ABO and Rh data from blood samples of 3100 individuals of white race.The calculated O, A, B gene frequencies in per cent based on the sample of 3100 individuals were as follows: O, 65.77; A, 26.07; B, 8.48. The calculated frequencies of Rh chromosomes for the same sample in per cent were as follows: R 1 , 43.48; r, 39.55; R 2 , 12.87; R 0 , 1.91; R′, 1.24; R″, 0. 73; R z , 0. 22; R y 0.00.Frequencies of O, A, B genes and Rh chromosomes within the major national groups were also estimated and shown in comparison with the corresponding O, A, B gene frequencies for Great Britain and Rh chromosome frequencies for England.The major national groups were compared in pairs by means of the Test of Homogeneity, with respect to the distribution, first of the ABO phenotypes, and then of the major Rh phenotypes. In general the Hebrew, Ukrainian, and Polish differed significantly from the remaining groups in distribution of the ABO phenotypes, due to a comparatively high frequency of the B phenotype in the former. With respect to the distribution of the Rh phenotypes the Hebrew group differed significantly from all others, due to a comparatively low incidence of the r phenotype.