title: Anti-Ge3 causes late-onset hemolytic disease of the newborn: the fourth case in three Hispanic families.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Gerbich (Ge) blood group system consists of 11 antigens carried on red blood cell (RBC) membrane glycophorins C and D; of these, Ge:3 antigen is of high prevalence, and the anti-Ge3 is found to be clinically significant.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 34-week neonate born to a Hispanic mother with anti-Ge3 developed late-onset hemolysis with hyperbilirubinemia and was successfully treated with transfusions from her mother. Relevant clinical findings and laboratory results for this case are summarized and compared to three other previously reported cases; all babies were born from a mother of Hispanic ethnicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hemolytic disease of the fetus and new born associated with anti-Ge3 is rare but should be considered when working up a broadly reactive RBC antibody screen in women of Hispanic ethnicity. Early identification of pregnant women with anti-Ge3 is recommended for prenatal transfusion planning and close monitoring of the newborn infant for evidence of late-onset anemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, and the Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University, Stanford, California; American Red Cross Blood Services (Southern California Region), Pomona, California.
authors.forename: Lisa Lee
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Pate
authors.forename: Jessica C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: Jonathan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.forename: Maurene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viele
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Galel
authors.forename: Zenaida
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Benitz
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garratty
authors.forename: Magali J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fontaine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001789:Blood Group Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D004899:Erythroblastosis, Fetal / Q000209:etiology*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn
chemical_list: D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D004921:Erythropoietin