The Laboratory Investigation of ABO Haemolytic Disease of the Newborn and Dangers Arising from the Transfusion of Group O Donor-Blood Containing AB Bloodgroup Substance of Animal Origin

Abstract

Since the year 1923 when Ottenburg³ advanced his idea that iso-antibodies might occasionally cross the placenta and be the cause of neonatal jaundice a steady and continuous flow of scientific and technical data has been published about such antibodies and their role in ABO haemolytic disease of the newborn (ABO HDN). As a result of this it can be said that there are few branches of bloodgroup serology which have had more written about them. Gold and Butler² in their monograph of ABO haemolytic disease of the newborn give no fewer than 670 references to published work associated with this disease. In spite of this vast amount of information there are many complex problems still unsolved and requiring further investigation. Among these are:

• 1) the frequent lack of a positive direct anti-human globulin test on the cord cells of infants suffering from ABO HDN

• 2) the nature of antibodies causing ABO HDN

• 3) the specificity of the cross-reacting antibody

• 4) the structure and configuration of the combining site of the pathogenic anti-A, anti-B and of their corresponding AB antigens

• 5) the chemistry of these antigens in the red cell membrane.