Question

How do you determine the blood type of the patient? Is there a donor who could give the blood to the patient? And why?

Answer 1

ANS: The process of determining the blood type of a patient is called the ABO blood typing system. There are mainly four types of blood groups: A, B, AB, and O. Our RBC has antigen A or antigen B on its surface based on which the blood group is determined. If the person has antigen A on the surface of RBC then the person will have blood group A, similarly if the person has antigen B on the surface of RBC then the person will have blood group B. If the person has no antigens present on the surface of RBC then the person will have blood group O and if the person has both antigens A and B on the surface of RBC then the person will have blood group AB. To test the blood group a clean glass slide is taken and 3 points are marked A, B, and O ( to test the Rh factor). A drop of blood is then placed on all the three marked points. On point A, the anti-A antibody is added. On point B the anti-B antibody is added and on point O the anti-O antibody is added. After the addition of antibodies, we have to check for the coagulation to occur. If coagulation occurs at point A then the blood type is A, if coagulation occurs at point B then the blood type is B, if coagulation occurs at both point A and B then the blood type is AB, If no coagulation occurs, then the blood type is O. If coagulation occurs at point O then the Rh factor is positive, if not then negative.

The donor with blood group A can donate blood to A and AB, the donor with blood group B can donate blood to B and AB, the donor with blood group O can donate blood to A, B, O, and AB, the donor with blood group AB can donate blood only to AB. Transfusion of the wrong blood group in patients may cause severe life-threatening reactions due to which the patient may die.

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