Hpa-1(Human Platelet Antigen-1) Antigens in the Ivorian Population (West Africa)

Although platelet transfusion remains the standard therapy for the management of cases of extreme thrombocytopenia in neonatology, obstetrics, surgery, medicine and oncohematology, providing an indication and prescribing platelet transfusion remain subtle. The administration of platelets is often associated with many problems including their availability, cost, infectious risk and immunogenicity. This immunogenicity is supported by allergenic systems that are defined by antigens lining the surface of the platelet membrane. Platelet blood group systems are of two types. The first type includes systems shared with other blood cells and possibly other tissues. These are the non-specific antigens of platelets. The second type of antigens is said to be specific to platelets. Twenty-nine human specific platelet antigens have been described to date. [1] HPA-1 [2] is the first platelet system described. Clinically it is the most important because the most immunogenic. It is a biallelic system defined by the HPA-1a and HPA-1b antigens [2].