Titers of ABO Antibodies in Group ‘O’ Blood Donors among Voluntary Blood Donors in Dakshina Kannada District of South India

Context: The ABO blood group system plays a critical role in transfusions. Group ‘O’ donors, often referred to as universal donors, do not have A or B antigens, but their plasma may contain antibodies (anti-A and anti-B) that could trigger adverse reactions in recipients. Aims: To determine the lowest titer of ABO antibodies and identify the immunoglobulin type in group ‘O’ blood donors. Settings and Design: A prospective study was conducted on 174 voluntary group ‘O’ blood donors in the Blood Centre of a tertiary care centre. Methods and Materials: Antibody titration was carried out using the conventional tube method, and immunoglobulin differentiation was done using DTT and PBS. Statistical Analysis Used: Data collected was recorded on an excel spread sheet and analysed using IBM SPSS software version 20. The results are expressed in frequency and percentage. Results: Of the donors, 90.8% were male and 9.2% female. The majority were between the ages of 18-29 years (54.6%). Anti-B titers were lowest, while anti-AB titers were highest. Females had higher anti-AB titers compared to males, with older males (>50 years) exhibiting lower antibody titers. Conclusions: The study found that anti-B titers are the lowest in group ‘O’ donors, with anti-AB titers being the highest. IgG was the most common immunoglobulin type, and routine monitoring of antibody titers in group ‘O’ donors, especially females, is recommended.