title: Correlation between serology and genetics of weak D types in Denmark.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To date more than 100 variant D types have been reported and the frequencies vary among populations. Blood donor typing should reveal all donors expressing D antigens, while patient typing should prevent the development of anti-D in patients with a D- or variant D blood type. Serotyping is the standard method to assign transfusion strategies, whereas molecular classification offers a more specific grouping of weak and partial D.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood donor and patient samples with discrepant results of D phenotyping were collected to investigate the frequency of weak D subtypes in Denmark and to evaluate currently used serologic methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine different weak D types were identified among the 101 samples. Weak D Types 1, 2, and 3 constituted 80 percent of the analyzed samples and 10 percent of the samples identified as weak D from serology were actually partial D.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The distribution of weak D types in Denmark was found to resemble the distribution in Northern Germany in respect to the three most prevalent weak D types. Correctly defining all samples that show weak reactions in D typing as weak D or partial D is not possible with serotyping alone; genotyping offers the only exact categorization. Serology is superior for routine blood typing, however.
authors: Department of Clinical Immunology, Aarhus University hospital, Skejby, Denmark. mco@sks.aaa.dk
authors: Mette
authors: M
authors: Christiansen
authors: Betina
authors: B
authors: Samuelsen
authors: Lene
authors: L
authors: Christiansen
authors: Trine
authors: T
authors: Morbjerg
authors: Conny
authors: C
authors: Bredahl
authors: Niels
authors: N
authors: Grunnet
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001782:Blood Donors; D001788:Blood Grouping and Crossmatching / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003718:Denmark; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System; C026410:Rho(D) antigen