Antibody detection and identification in a hospital blood bank

A six-year serological survey has demonstrated that an average of 2.2% per annum of individuals requiring compatibility testing possessed antibodies de novo and that the frequency for individuals forming antibodies following transfusion is 4.1%. The increased detection rate from 1.5% (1969) to 4.1% (1971-5) was almost entirely due to the sensitivity of the two-stage papain technique; a total of 124 antibodies were detected only in this test. Three of these enzyme-active antibodies were found to be the cause of mild haemolytic transfusion reactions. Since 60% of the listed 332 alloantibodies were Rh-specific, the transfusion of appropriately Rh phenotyped blood is strongly recommended.