Introduction:

The Kell system consists of two major antigens: Kell (K) and Cellano (K), which are capable of causing serious reactions, such as posttransfusion hemolytic reaction and hemolytic disease of the newborn. The antigens of this system are highly immunogenic which gives them the third place in clinical importance.

Objective:

To determine the frequency of Kell antigen and origin of blood donors in the Hemocenter of the Centro Oriente Colombiano (H.C.O.C).

Methods:

Cross-sectional descriptive study involving 186 blood donors from the Centro Oriente Colombian Hemocenter, phenotyping of the Kell antigen was carried out, using the technique Aglutination in lamina, which is based on facing donor red blood cells with anti-K monoclonal antibody. Calculated the phenotypic frequency of the Kell antigen in percentages and for the processing of the information was used the statistical package SPSS version 21.0 in Spanish where all the analysis of the data of the population was carried out.

Results:

177 samples obtained in 9 blood donation campaigns were carried out in different municipalities of the department of Boyacá, obtaining a phenotypic frequency of 7.5% for the Kell antigen in the population of female HCOC blood donors. Similar to the frequency found in Colombia and Latin America.

Conclusion: It was determined that the frequency of Kell antigen in the female HCOC donors was 7.5%, and it was possible to identify that there is no statistically relation between the origin and the presence of Kell antigen in the donors, Is related to mestizaje and migration processes.

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