Blood donation
I went to the Japanese Red Cross Kyushu Block Blood Center
Human ABO blood group
The blood type is determined by the type of red blood cell antigen or antibody (immunoglobulin) contained in the red blood cells in the blood, which is one of the allogeneic antigens.
The H antigen, which is common to all blood types, is specific to human red blood cells and is not present in other primates. Such cases are called species specificity.
Also, even within the same person, each person has a different type when judged by the ABO blood group. Such cases are called homologous specificity.
There are more than 250 types of surface antigens on the cell membrane of erythrocytes, and the representative antigens are type A, type B, and type H. The blood types are named A, B, and O for convenience only, and the surface antigens of O-type humans are H-type (not O-type).
About each blood type
There are antibodies in each blood that react with red blood cell antigens other than their own type.
A type : There are A-type and H-type antigens on the surface of red blood cells. There is an anti-B antibody.
B type: There are B type and H type antigens on the surface of red blood cells. There is an anti-A antibody.
AB type: There are A type, B type, and H type antigens on the surface of red blood cells. There is neither anti-A antibody nor anti-B antibody.
O type: There is an H type antigen on the surface of red blood cells. There are anti-A and anti-B antibodies.
In general, it was said that the blood of people with type O could be transfused to people of any blood type.
However, this is because when the amount of blood transfused is small, the effect of the antibody on the red blood cells on which it acts is small. Currently, the principle of blood transfusion is to match the blood type.
Immunoglobulin preparations
Currently, the majority of donated blood is used as a raw material for medicine.
Immunoglobulin preparations made from blood are used in the treatment of diseases of the nervous system, and the need for blood donation is increasing.
Although it is not clear why immunoglobulin preparations are effective, they have been used for the treatment of various diseases since ancient times and are indispensable.
Since they are made from blood, the possibility of virus infection is not zero, but since we have taken safety measures such as liquid heat treatment, virus removal membrane treatment, and acid treatment, virus infection has not been confirmed so far.
HIV and blood donation
It is said that there are a certain number of people who donate blood for the purpose of HIV testing.
The donated blood undergoes double testing at local blood centers to check for HIV, but in the early stages of infection, the amount of HIV in the blood is so low that the chances that the blood pass the test are not zero.
If blood that has passed the test and is mixed with HIV is used for transfusion, the transfused person may become infected with HIV. There are cases that HIV is actually transmitted to others by blood transfusion.
When infected with HIV, the immune system is impaired after a long period of asymptomatic symptoms. As a result, even diseases that would not become severe in a healthy person can become severe, and can cause various diseases such as malignant tumors and neuropathy.
And it is very difficult to cure HIV completely. In the process of testing, HIV contamination cannot be completely prevented.
That is why you should never donate blood for HIV testing purposes. Also, to prevent blood donation for testing purposes, blood donors who have been detected with HIV will not be notified that fact.
Recently, the number of places where you can get an anonymous HIV test, such as local health centers , is increasing.
Blood donation does not help with HIV testing and can increase the number of people injected with HIV.
This is a rule that we should keep and we must take responsibility for as a member of society.
Summary
