Duffy blood group genotypes among malaria Plasmodium vivax patients of Baoulch population in southeastern Iran

Objective: To determine the distribution of Duffy blood group genotypes in Balouch population as a major ethnic group that living in a sub-tropical area in south East of Iran. Methods: In this study, the Duffy blood group FY phenotypes were determined using indirect anti-globulin technique and also genotype by PCR-RFLP in 160 vivax malaria patients and 160 control individuals. Results: The results showed that the most common Duffy genotype was FYA/FYB (46.6%) followed by FYA/FYA (15.3%), FYA/FYO (14.4%), FYB/FYO (11.9%), FYB/FYB (10%) and FYO/FYO (1.9%). In case individuals, frequency of FYA, FYB and FYO alleles were 0.471, 0.431 and 0.097, respectively compaired to 0.444, 0.353 and 0.203, respectively in control (non-infected) group. Conclusions: This data provide evidence that individuals with the FYA/FYB genotype have higher susceptibility to malaria and there are significant associations between Duffy blood group variants and susceptibility or resistance to vivax malaria.