The IgA-deficient blood donor: something in the air?

In May 1994, the Blood Transfusion Centre, Sheffield, introduced a new screening test for Immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency. The test is performed in parallel with routine donor ABO grouping and Rh typing on two Olympus PK 7200 autoanalysers. A panel of IgA-deficient donors is required to provide blood products for IgA-deficient patients in whom the presence of anti-IgA antibodies may cause serious anaphylactic transfusion reactions (Welborn & Hersch, 1991). Detection rates during high summer became noticeably inconsistent and since a relationship between IgA deficiency and hypersensitivity states is recognized (Amman & Hong, 1971), a comparison between the detection rate and pollen levels during June and July 1994 was undertaken; the results of this study are presented here.