title: Frequencies of polymorphisms of the Rh, Kell, Kidd, Duffy and Diego systems of Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Red blood cell genes are highly polymorphic with the distribution of alleles varying between different populations and ethnic groups. The objective of this study was to investigate gene polymorphisms of blood groups in the state of Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and seventy-three unrelated blood donors and 31 transfusion-dependent patients were evaluated to investigate polymorphisms of the Rh, Kell, Duffy, Kidd, and Diego blood group systems in a population from the state of Santa Catarina. The subjects, from seven regions that comprise the blood-banking network of the state, were assessed between August 2011 and March 2014. The genotypes of the Rh, Kell, Duffy, Kidd, and Diego systems were determined using the restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction and allele-specific polymerase chain reaction techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The genotype frequencies in this study were significantly different when populations from different regions of Santa Catarina were compared. Furthermore, there were also significant differences in the genetic frequencies compared to other Brazilian states. The genotype frequencies of the Kell and Kidd blood groups are similar to European populations from Naples, Italy and Zurich, Switzerland.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This article reports for the first time the frequency of polymorphisms of blood group systems in blood donors from Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil.
authors: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors: Daiane Cobianchi
authors: DC
authors: Costa
authors: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors: Alessandra Arruda
authors: AA
authors: Schinaider
authors: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors: Thais Mattos
authors: TM
authors: Santos
authors: Hemocentro de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors: Everaldo José
authors: EJ
authors: Schörner
authors: Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Canoas, RS, Brazil.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Simon
authors: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors: Sharbel Weidner
authors: SW
authors: Maluf
authors: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors: Ana Carolina Rabello
authors: AC
authors: de Moraes
authors: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil. Electronic address: maria.claudia.silva@ufsc.br.
authors: Maria Claudia Silva
authors: MC
authors: Silva
keywords: Blood donors; Blood group; Genotype