Association of ABO, Rh-D and Kell blood groups with transfusion transmitted infections among blood donors from the Asir Region, Saudi Arabia: A retrospective observational study

To evaluate the association between transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) and ABO, Rh-D, and Kell blood systems among blood donors. This was a retrospective study of 10,095 donors who visited the Blood Bank at Asir Hospital, Abha, Saudi Arabia. Data including demographic information, ABO, Rh-D, and Kell blood groups, and serological and molecular test results of TTIs (the TTIs were obtained from each donor's records). Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests were employed to establish possible associations between blood groups and TTIs. The prevalence rate of TTIs among donors was 6.3%, with HBcAb (70%) being the most prevalent biomarker among positive donors. Donors with the O blood group were at a higher risk of contracting TTIs. Significant associations were observed between HIV and blood group A (χ =6.30, =0.01), HBsAg and group AB (χ =17.3193, =0.00003), malaria and group A (χ =5.0567, =0.02), and HBV-DNA and group AB (χ =12.3163, =0.0004). Also, Kell blood group was significantly associated with HIV (χ =14.5, =0.0001), HBcAb (χ =78.51,