CMV screening of group-specific orders-good stewardship of the blood supply.

Background: In addition to antigen-negative red blood cells (RBC), Immunohematology Reference Laboratories (IRL) must provide RBCs that are cytomegalovirus (CMV) seronegative. Due to high percentage of CMV seropositive individuals, it is challenging to find CMV and antigen-negative RBC. The IRL selects predominantly group O donors tested for CMV, and these RBC are sometimes needed to fill orders for nongroup O patients.

A Hemolytic Transfusion Reaction Caused by an Unexpected Leb Antibody.

A Black male patient aged 21 years with a history of sickle cell disease and HIV was admitted to the hospital with vaso-occlusive crisis. A transfusion reaction was called after the patient developed a fever (39.5°C), tachycardia, chills, and hematuria after receiving 300 mL of red blood cells.

An international effort and use of social media to save a young girl.

Background And Objectives: A 2-year-old female with neuroblastoma needed In(b-), E- red blood cells (RBCs). No units were available at the blood centre (BC) nor in the rare donor programme member's inventories. BC's Immunohematology Reference Laboratory (IRL) and its marketing department concentrated on recruiting and testing those donors more likely to be antigen negative based on ethnicity.

A Rare Cohort of Two Rhnull Individuals.

Objective: A 77 year old female was admitted with a subdural hematoma requiring 1 unit of apheresis platelets. She was a study subject in the 1960s and was found to be Rhnull, along with another individual who previously served as a directed donor for her.

Methods: Serologic testing performed by the immunohematology reference laboratory (IRL) confirmed that the patient was Rhnull and expressed anti-Rh29 antibodies.

Proof of Concept for a Polyethylene Glycol/Gel Hybrid Testing Method.

Objective: To test a hybrid polyethylene glycol (PEG)/gel method, specifically to attempt to increase reaction strength of accidentally overdiluted anti-Cob and broadly for proof of concept.

Methods: Methods were divided into 2 basic steps: sensitization and antiglobulin (AHG) testing. Sensitization was performed with PEG tubes, followed by AHG using the gel method.