Study of blood groups, ABH secretors and hemoglobin variants in three upper castes of West Bengal, India

In a serological survey it is found that the Brahmins, Kayasthas and Vaidyas, the three upper castes of Bengalis in West Bengal, cannot be differentiated satisfactorily with respect to ABO blood groups. The Brahmins and Kayasthas differ only slightly in the chromosome frequencies of RH blood groups. The difference in allele frequency for the secretor gene between the Brahmins and Kayasthas is negligible, but there is a marked decrease in frequency in the Vaidyas. In general, incidence of abnormal HbE among Bengalis is very low.