ABH secretion in Northumberland, England.

The frequency of ABH non-secretory (29.2%) in a sample of 1,752 school-children resident in Northumberland is very similar to those reported in neighbouring populations. Allocation of individuals among four regions of Northumberland on the basis of residence and birthplace revealed no overall heterogeneity. However, those born in the south-east region exhibited a significantly (p less than 0.05) higher frequency of non-secretors than those born elsewhere. This suggests that ABH secretion can be added to the list of polymorphisms including ABO, Hp phenylthiocarbamide tasting and skin colour that distinguish the population of south-east Northumberland from the rest of the county.