Blood type method system and device

Abstract

A method for the detection and / or visualization of particle agglutination in a particle suspension is provided, comprising placing a volume of the particle suspension and a volume of a solution or suspension containing an agglutinating agent at substantially the same selected location on a surface of a filter constructed so as to permit passage of individual unagglutinated particles in a direction perpendicular to the surface. A wash solution at optionally placed at substantially the same location as that of said agglutinating agent, and the surface is observed for the presence of particles. There is also provided a method for detection of agglutination reactions, such as used in blood grouping, reverse grouping and cross-matching. A device and a kit based on the invention is also claimed, which facilitates blood grouping, reverse grouping and matching in non-laboratory environment without the need for laboratory instruments.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to the detection of receptor-ligand interactions, and more particularly to the detection of blood group antigens and antibodies thereto for forward and reverse blood typing and matching purposes as employed in transfusion medicine. Background technique [0002] Due to its simplicity, rapidity and relative sensitivity, particle agglutination is a widely used immunological method for the detection and visualization of antigen-antibody interactions (Riochet 1993). Cells in general, and red blood cells in particular, are particles amenable to various methods of agglutination. Likewise, agglutination of red blood cells (hemagglutination) is used in blood typing or matching as an important part of the pre-transfusion testing process to detect antigens on their surface and antibodies to these antigens (Rouger 1993; Brecher 2002). The purpose of the pre-transfusion test of blood is to prevent adverse reactions caused by...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Disadvantages of this method include: (a) several minutes of mixing required; (b) subjective visual judgment of results; (c) false positive responses due to drying; and (d) slides cannot be stored

Disadvantages of the tube agglutination method include: (a) the need for laboratory equipment, personnel, and environment; (b) subjective visual judgment of results; (c) incorrect centrifugation speed or time may lead to false positive results or false negative results , because cell clumps may be interpreted as immunoagglutination; (d) no direct recording of results; (e) bulky tubes; and (f) risk of breakage and spillage

Disadvantages are: (a) need for experimental equipment, personnel, and environment; (b) no direct result recording (c) bulky test hardware (although the manufacturer refers to the product as a "card", it is actually located on a support series of test tubes and must not be as flat as a "card"); and (d) a complex manufacturing process (inserting the gel into the narrow tube) which results in high costs

Although the Akers device simplifies blood grouping to the point that it can be used by non-blood bank professionals outside the laboratory (e.g., at the bedside), it has certain disadvantages: (a) it requires a relatively large amount of blood; (b) it requires Operator timing of steps; (c) it only allows forward blood grouping and does not allow cross-matching (ability to visualize recipient antibodies against donor red blood cells); (d) yields potentially misleading results: used in Results The absence of red in the window indicates a positive result and the presence of a red color indicates a negative reaction; and (e) the result must be observed exactly 1 minute after adding the saline wash

While these products do simplify blood testing procedures to some extent, they are not completely error-free and can be complicated for some personnel (Rachel and Plapp, 1990; Migeot et al., 2002)

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