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Alloantibody
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A type of antibody directed against substances recognized as foreign to the host.
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Allogeneic Blood
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Blood donated by someone other than the patient for use in a blood transfusion.
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Alloimmunization
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The process whereby antibodies are formed which are directed towards antigens from other
people, including leukocytes. It is one of the most
serious transfusion complications.
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Antibodies
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Any of the various proteins in the blood that are generated in response to foreign proteins.
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Antigens
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A substance that when introduced in the body stimulates the production of an antibody.
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Autologous Blood
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Blood that a patient donates for his own use in a blood transfusion.
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Blood
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The fluid which circulates throughout the body carrying nourishment and oxygen to the cells and tissue, and at the same time takes away waste matters and carbon dioxide.
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Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
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A disease that creates a protein plaque on the brain and eventually leads to death. It usually occurs in patients over the age of 60. (see nvCJD)
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Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
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A virus that resides in leukocytes. In certain patient populations, CMV infection can cause fever, hepatitis, pneumonia, and severe brain damage and can ultimately lead to death. In North America, fifty percent or more of the adult population has been exposed to the virus, making transfusion-transmitted CMV a high risk.
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Dilution Coagulopathy
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A reduction in the body’s ability to clot due to the dilution of clotting proteins
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Febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTR)
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A transfusion complication defined as a rise in temperature by one degree Celsius or more during or within 24 hours of the completion of a blood transfusion.
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Graft-vs-Host disease
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A disease caused by the infusion or transplantation of immune cells from one individual into another.
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HLA
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The tissue typing determinants used to determine compatibility.
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Hypercalcemia
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An excess of calcium in the blood.
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Hypocalcemia
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A deficiency of calcium in the blood.
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Hypothermia
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A condition of characterized by low body temperature.
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Leukocytes
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The body’s own white blood cells or leukocytes (lou-ko-cites) (WBC’s) fight
disease and maintain immune function in the blood. In general, white blood cells in a blood
transfusion serve no purpose, but are transfused along with the red blood cells,
platelets or plasma. These unnecessary passengers can carry viruses, immune suppress
patients and release toxic substances.
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Leukocyte Reduction Blood Filters
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Medical devices that remove leukocytes from either platelet or red cell transfusions.
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Neonatal Isoimmune Thrombocytopenia
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An alloimmune disorder characterized by low platelets at birth which can be accompanied by severe bleeding.
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New Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (nvCJD)
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A new variation of CJD that initally presents itself with psychiatric symptoms at a much younger age, on average 28 years old, than traditional CJD. The disease always leads to death and runs its course in about 18 months.
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Platelets (PLTs)
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PLTs are small, colorless cell fragments in your blood whose main function, along with clotting factors, is to stop bleeding.
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Platelet Transfusion Refractoriness
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The inability of platelet transfusions to adequately increase the platelet count.
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Plasma
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Plasma is the liquid portion of the blood. Plasma transports water and nutrients to the body’s tissues. Plasma also contains many proteins that help the blood to clot and fight disease.
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Purpura
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Bruising associated with receiving a blood transfusion (may occur on the skin or mucous membranes).
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Red blood cells (RBC’s)
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RBC’s are the cells that give the blood its red color. RBC’s carry oxygen from the lungs to the body’s tissue and take carbon dioxide back to the lungs to be exhaled.
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Scrapie
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Scrapie is a form of disease, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, similar to nvCJD that occurs in sheep and goats.
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