Compound heterozygosity induces a rare Gerbich-negative phenotype in an immunized blood donor.

Background: Antibodies to Gerbich blood group antigens are exceedingly rare and can cause moderate transfusion reactions. Several deletional variants of the GE-gene, that harbors long sequence repeats, enable alloimmunization and formation of naturally occurring antibodies.

Subject And Methods: A female blood donor and soldier of the German Army without history of pregnancy or transfusion showed an antibody reactive with all test cells except for GE:-2-3 RBC.