Implementation of a mandatory donor RHD screening in Switzerland

Transfus Apher Sci. 2014 Apr;50(2):169-74. doi: 10.1016/j.transci.2014.02.011. Epub 2014 Mar 6.

Abstract

Starting in 2013, blood donors must be tested at least using: (1) one monoclonal anti-D and one anti-CDE (alternatively full RhCcEe phenotyping), and (2) all RhD negative donors must be tested for RHD exons 5 and 10 plus one further exonic, or intronic RHD specificity, according to the guidelines of the Blood Transfusion Service of the Swiss Red Cross (BTS SRC). In 2012 an adequate stock of RHD screened donors was built. Of all 25,370 RhD negative Swiss donors tested in 2012, 20,015 tested at BTS Berne and 5355 at BTS Zürich, showed 120 (0.47%) RHD positivity. Thirty-seven (0.15%) had to be redefined as RhD positive. Routine molecular RHD screening is reliable, rapid and cost-effective and provides safer RBC units in Switzerland.

Keywords: Molecular RHD screening; National guidelines; Rhesus D.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Blood Donors / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Blood Grouping and Crossmatching* / methods
  • Blood Grouping and Crossmatching* / standards
  • Donor Selection* / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Donor Selection* / standards
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Rh-Hr Blood-Group System / genetics*
  • Switzerland

Substances

  • Rh-Hr Blood-Group System
  • Rho(D) antigen