The Kidd (JK) Blood Group System

Jk3 alloantibodies during pregnancy—blood bank management and hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn risk

“…This mutation has been found to be the mutation most often associated with the Jk(a−b−) phenotype in Polynesians and worldwide. While we presume this common mutation is responsible for the Jk(a−b−) phenotype in the mother in Case 1 due to her Polynesian ethnicity, there are at least 13 other JK*B alleles as well as 10 JK*A alleles known to result in the Kidd null phenotype, although none have been reported previously in Polynesians …”

“…Reference lab testing to evaluate for anti-E was not done because it would not affect the clinical management. However, we do recognize the possibility of anti-E causing fetal hemolysis in combination with the anti-Jk3, although we believe this is less likely given the very low titer (<1) of anti-E compared to anti-Jk3 (16). Case 3 involved limited prenatal care, so only a single anti-Jk3 titer was ever performed when the initial maternal antibody screen was ordered at 12 weeks' gestation.…”

“…While we presume this common mutation is responsible for the Jk(a2b2) phenotype in the mother in Case 1 due to her Polynesian ethnicity, there are at least 13 other JK*B alleles as well as 10 JK*A alleles known to result in the Kidd null phenotype, although none have been reported previously in Polynesians. 16 All newborns should be clinically monitored or undergo laboratory testing for hyperbilirubinemia and its potential causes. DAT testing of cord blood samples is a meaningful part of this assessment and has been found to be positive in 2.5% to 5.5% of newborns.…”

Children are not little adults: blood transfusion in children with burn injury

“…Acute hemolytic reactions generally occur due to ABO incompatibility and causes immunologic destruction of red cells. However, this complication can also occur due to minor antigens not detected by current screening techniques [23,24]. Anaphylactic reactions rarely occur.…”

Jk3 antibodies complicated with severe fetal anaemia requiring intrauterine transfusion: a case report

“…This Jk(a−b−) represents the null phenotype and usually results from homozygosity for a silent gene at the Jk locus (Roback et al, 2008). The Kidd blood group gene locus was found to be linked to two different restriction fragment-length polymorphisms assigned to chromosome 18 in 1987 (Lawicki et al, 2016). Anti-Jk3 can be found in patients with the Jk(a−b−) phenotype, causing acute and delayed haemolytic transfusion reactions and HDFN (Dean 2005).…”