Which of the following blood groups is the universal recipient?

Appeared in: Raj. CHO - 2023

Explanation

Individuals with AB+ blood have both A and B antigens on their red blood cells, so their plasma does not contain anti-A or anti-B antibodies.
Being Rh-positive (Rh+), they also have the Rh antigen and do not produce anti-Rh antibodies.
This absence of plasma antibodies against A, B, or Rh antigens allows them to safely receive red blood cells from any ABO and Rh blood type without causing an immune reaction.

Option A: O- blood type is the universal donor, not the universal recipient. Their plasma contains both anti-A and anti-B antibodies, meaning they can only receive blood from another O- donor.
Option B: Individuals with type B blood have anti-A antibodies in their plasma. This would cause a transfusion reaction if they received type A or type AB blood.
Option C: Individuals with type A blood have anti-B antibodies in their plasma. This would cause a transfusion reaction if they received type B or type AB blood.

Visual 1: Diagram - A blood donation compatibility chart showing arrows from donor types (O-, O+, A-, A+, B-, B+, AB-, AB+) to recipient types, clearly illustrating that AB+ can receive from all groups.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing ABO and Rh blood group system compatibility helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Accurate blood typing and cross-matching before any transfusion are critical nursing responsibilities to prevent life-threatening acute hemolytic transfusion reactions.
Nurses must monitor patients for signs of a transfusion reaction, such as fever, chills, back pain, and shortness of breath, especially within the first 15 minutes of the transfusion.
What if? If the patient were AB-negative (AB-), they could still receive red blood cells from any ABO type, but only from Rh-negative donors (A-, B-, AB-, O-). They are not a true universal recipient because Rh+ blood would cause an immune reaction.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question: 'universal recipient'. This refers to the blood type that can receive blood from all other types.
Recall the basic principles of the ABO and Rh blood group systems, specifically which antigens are on the red blood cells and which antibodies are in the plasma for each type.
Remember the fundamental rule of transfusion: the recipient's plasma must not contain antibodies that can attack the donor's red blood cell antigens.
Evaluate each option based on this rule. A universal recipient must lack antibodies to A, B, and Rh antigens.
Conclude that only the AB+ blood type meets this criterion, as it has no anti-A, anti-B, or anti-Rh antibodies.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full Raj. CHO - 2023

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.