Comparison of five blood-typing methods for the feline AB blood group system

Abstract

Objective To compare the ease of use and accuracy of 5 feline AB blood-typing methods: card agglutination (CARD), immunochromatographic cartridge (CHROM), gel-based (GEL), and conventional slide (SLIDE) and tube (TUBE) agglutination assays. Sample Population 490 anticoagulated blood samples from sick and healthy cats submitted to the Transfusion or Clinical Laboratory at the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Procedures Sample selection was purposely biased toward those from anemic, type B, or type AB cats or those with autoagglutination. All blood samples were tested by use of GEL, SLIDE, and TUBE methods. Fifty-eight samples were also tested by use of CARD and CHROM methods. The presence of alloantibodies in all cats expressing the B antigen as detected by use of any method was also assessed. Results Compared with the historical gold-standard TUBE method, good to excellent agreement was achieved with the other typing tests: CARD, 53 of 58 (91% agreement); CHROM, 55 of 58 (95%); GEL, 487 of 490 (99%); and SLIDE, 482 of 487 (99%; 3 samples were excluded because of autoagglutination). Four of the samples with discordant test results originated from cats with FeLV-related anemia. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance Current laboratory and in-clinic methods provide simple and accurate typing for the feline AB blood group system with few discrepancies. Retyping after in-clinic typing with the GEL or TUBE laboratory methods is recommended to confirm any type B or AB cats.

Influence of cross‐match on posttransfusion packed cell volume in feline packed red blood cell transfusion

“…A recent study investigating feline blood typing procedures reported a 95% agreement of immunochromatographic cartridges and 91% agreement of card agglutination kits to laboratory methods described above, suggesting this variable likely had little influence on the results. 17 In future prospective studies, standardized blood typing should be employed. As our clinical pathology laboratory does not routinely perform a minor cross-match during pretransfusion compatibility screening in cats for pRBC transfusion, the majority of our patients did not receive minor cross-matches.…”

“…1,2,5,17 Previous studies investigating compatibility of RBC units in cats have predominantly focused on the use of feline AB blood typing. [1][2][3][4]6 As all cats in our study received type-specific pRBC transfusions, AB antibodies cannot account for the difference in efficacy between CM+ and CM-transfusions.…”

“…17 If immediate transfusion was necessary or the clinical pathology laboratory was not available, the patient's blood type was identified by either the immunochromatographic cartridge c or the card agglutination d technique as described previously. 17 Cross-match procedure During the period of investigation, major cross-match procedures were performed in all patients that received a red blood cell transfusion greater than 3 days previously or if requested by the clinician in naïve or recently transfused cats. For a number of the type-specific cross-match compatible transfusions it was not possible to determine if the recipient was naïve or previously transfused.…”

Prevalence of naturally occurring non‐AB blood type incompatibilities in cats and influence of crossmatch on transfusion outcomes

“…Therefore, there is universal agreement that all feline blood donors and recipients should be blood typed (for A, B, or AB antigens) before an RBC transfusion. Point‐of‐care feline blood‐typing kits allow for rapid and accurate determination of type within the AB blood group system in clinical practice 9, 10, 11…”

The diagnostic approach to anaemia in the dog and cat

“…Therefore blood typing must always be performed in cats. In both species, standardized methods must be used (Giger et al, 2005;Seth et al, 2011). -Sideremic profile: It may be useful to confirm iron deficiency or to differentiate iron deficiency by other anaemia potentially associated with a trend to microcytosis.…”