The dog erythrocyte antigen 1 blood group in nondomesticated canids and compatibility testing between domestic dog and nondomesticated canid blood.

BACKGROUND: The dog erythrocyte antigen (DEA) 1 blood group is considered as the most immunogenic and clinically important in dogs. Little is known in nondomesticated canids. OBJECTIVES: To type DEA 1 in nondomesticated captive canids and to evaluate potential interspecific blood transfusions between domestic and nondomestic canids. ANIMALS: One hundred forty captive nondomesticated canids belonging to 13 species from 19 French zoos, and 63 domestic dogs. METHODS: Prospective study. Blood samples were typed for DEA 1 using immunochromatographic and flow cytometric techniques. A neutral gel column test was used for crossmatching. RESULTS: Of 140 nondomesticated canids, 72.9% were DEA 1+ and 27.1% were DEA 1- using immunochromatographic technique and 74.3% were DEA 1+ and 25.7% were DEA 1- by flow cytometric technique. Crossmatch (XM) between 140 nondomesticated canid red blood cells (RBCs) and plasma from a previously DEA 1+ sensitized DEA 1- dog revealed 112 incompatibilities (80%). Crossmatches between 130 nondomesticated canid serum and 1 or up to 8 donor dogs' RBCs revealed 99 of 130 (76%) compatibilities. Crossmatches between 115 nondomesticated canid RBCs and donor dogs' serum revealed 59 of 115 (51%) compatibilities. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Dog erythrocyte antigen 1 blood type is present in nondomesticated canids with variable prevalence depending on species. The majority of tested nondomesticated canids appear to have no naturally occurring alloantibodies against domestic dogs' RBCs. Therefore xenotransfusion of blood from domestic dogs can be considered when species specific blood is not available. Cross matching is essential before xenotransfusion.

Assessment of risks of feline mismatched transfusion and neonatal isoerythrolysis in the Lyon (France) area.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to update the prevalence of different feline blood types in the Lyon (France) area, as well as to determine the risk of mismatched transfusion (MT) and neonatal isoerythrolysis (NI) in kittens with parents of unknown blood type. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from blood donor cats and cats admitted to an intensive care unit in Lyon. AB blood typing was performed using an immunochromatographic strip. The risk of MT was estimated by adding the risk of a major transfusion reaction and the risk of a minor transfusion reaction. The risk of NI was estimated according the equation (p²)(q²) + 2pq(q²), with q being the b allele frequency and p = 1 - q. The results were analysed by absolute and relative frequency analysis and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The cohort study population included 320 non-pedigree cats and 37 pedigree cats. The prevalence of blood types A, B and AB was 84.3%, 14.0% and 1.7%, respectively. Considering non-pedigree cats, the prevalence of types A, B and AB was 83.7%, 14.4% and 1.9%, respectively. There were no significant differences of blood type distribution by sex (P = 0.73) or by breed (P = 0.90). Based on these percentages, the risks of MT and NI in non-pedigree cats were 24.3% and 12.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The prevalence of type B cats is high in the Lyon area and associated with high risks of MT and NI. These results confirm the importance of performing blood typing prior to any blood transfusion or mating.

Alloimmunization of a dog erythrocyte antigen 1- dog transfused with weakly dog erythrocyte antigen 1+ blood.

BACKGROUND: Acute hemolytic transfusion reactions because of dog erythrocyte antigen (DEA) 1 sensitization after mismatched transfusions are serious complications. Dog erythrocyte antigen 1 expression varies from negative to weakly to strongly positive. OBJECTIVES: To assess alloimmunization after transfusion of weakly DEA 1+ blood to a DEA 1- dog. ANIMALS: One DEA 1- recipient and 1 weakly DEA 1+ donor, and 106 control dogs. METHODS: Long-term follow-up study. Matched for DEA 3, 4, 5, and 7, Dal, and Kai 1 and 2, weakly DEA 1+ donor packed red blood cells (RBCs) were transfused 3 times (0.45 mL/kg at Day 0, 16, and 37) to a DEA 1- recipient. Alloantibodies against RBCs from donor and 106 controls were determined in recipient's plasma samples using a commercial antiglobulin-enhanced immunochromatographic strip and gel tube crossmatches. Alloantibody titers were determined. RESULTS: The DEA 1- recipient was sensitized after 16 days to ≥1657 days after transfusion to weakly DEA 1+ and otherwise matched RBCs. Strong to moderate crossmatch incompatibilities were observed between recipient's plasma and all 61 DEA 1+ crossmatched controls. Moderate to weak incompatibilities were also observed to DEA 1- controls. Anti-DEA 1 and other alloantibodies were detected over the 4.5 year observation period. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Blood from a weakly DEA 1+ donor induces a strong and durable alloimmunization in a DEA 1- recipient dog. Additional alloantibodies developed against yet to be defined RBC antigens. Those results support the recommendation of typing dogs against DEA 1, considering weakly DEA 1+ as immunogenic, and crossmatching all previously transfused dogs.

Detection of naturally occurring alloantibody by an in-clinic antiglobulin-enhanced and standard crossmatch gel column test in non-transfused domestic shorthair cats.

BACKGROUND: Blood typing for the A and B antigens is essential and crossmatching testing is generally recommended before transfusing blood to cats. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate 2 crossmatch (XM) tests. ANIMALS: Forty-nine healthy domestic shorthair cats that had not received a blood transfusion. METHODS: Prospective study. Blood samples were typed for AB using immunochromatographic and flow cytometric techniques. A gel column (GC) and a feline antiglobulin-enhanced gel column (AGC) XM tests were used for crossmatching. RESULTS: The population included 34 type A, 13 B, and 2 AB cats, with concordant results (r = 1, P < .005) by flow cytometry and immunochromatographic strip kit. The plasma from type A cats had either no or weak anti-B alloantibodies. The plasma of 12 of 13 type B cats contained strong anti-A alloantibodies. For crossmatching, plasma to RBC pairings were prepared using the GC (n = 446) and AGC (n = 630) tests. Both methods showed compatibilities in 329 and incompatibilities in 102 pairings including all A-B mismatches. Additionally 15 pairings showed agglutination by the AGC but not GC method. Fourteen incompatibilities outside the expected A-B mismatches were only revealed by AGC. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: AB typing using immunochromatographic strip is as accurate as laboratory flow cytometry. The 2 XM methods had good agreement with additional incompatibilities being recognized by the AGC XM beyond A-B incompatibilities. In clinic, feline AB typing and sensitive XM test kits are available and recommended before each transfusion, although the clinical implications of incompatible XM test results and clinical benefits of such crossmatching have not been documented.