Immunohematology Boot Camp: Kidd/Kell

Educational Track: Transfusion Medicine
Topic: Transfusion Medicine
Intended Audience: Hospital Blood Banks, Immunohematology Reference Labs (IRL’s), Laboratory Staff, Managers/Supervisors, Medical Directors, Residents/Fellows, Students (MD, MT, SBB), Technologists
Teaching Level: Intermediate

Director/Moderator: Daniela Hermelin, MD, Associate Director of Transfusion Medicine, SSM Saint Louis University Hospital, Saint Louis, MO
Speaker: Natalie Phillips, MLS(ASCP)^CMSBB^CM, Lead Medical Laboratory Scientist, Transfusion Service, Versiti, Milwaukee, WI

Learning Objectives

After participating in this educational activity, participants should be able to:

• Describe the biochemistry and molecular basis of the Kell and Kidd Blood Group System antigens.
• Discuss the inheritance and serological expression of common Kell and Kidd antigens, including altered and null phenotypes.
• Discuss the clinical significance of common Kell and Kidd antibodies.
• Identify the special characteristics of Jk (a-b-) red cells.
• Explain why Kidd antibodies are a challenge to detect in routine pre-transfusion testing.

Program Description

The Kell and Kidd Blood Group Antigens are red blood cell glycoproteins that can produce antibodies that are highly clinically significant as they can lead to hemolytic transfusion reactions and hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). This program will describe the structure, molecular and biochemical significance of Kell and Kidd Blood Group Antigens, focusing on the inheritance and serological expression including altered and null phenotypes. In addition, the program will discuss why these antibodies are a challenge to detect in routine pre-transfusion testing.

Registration

AABB understands the value of learning together as a group but with COVID-19, bringing everyone together to share the experience in person may not be an option for your team. Given this, all participants in a group will be provided the ability to register as a single viewer (AABB will provide a promocode to registered group viewing coordinators to share with their team in advance of the live program). If you are a group interested in participating in this eCast, simply complete the Group Viewing registration form and AABB will provide detailed instructions to share with your team. For single viewers, the process has not changed.

Continuing Education Credit

AABB estimates both the live and on-demand version of this eCast each to be eligible for 1 continuing education credits/contact hours for Physician, California Nurse, California Lab Personnel, Florida Lab Personnel and General Participation credit. The final number of credit(s) and credit types awarded for this program (live or on-demand) will be determined by the program duration. For more information on each credit type please visit our Continuing Education Credits webpage.

Disclosures for the planners of this event can be found here. Disclosures for the program faculty are provided at the beginning of the program.

Speaker Biography

Natalie Phillips graduated from University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee with a BS in Medical Laboratory Science in 2006. Her career began at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center. Since 2010, Natalie has been employed by Versiti – Wisconsin and worked as the lead medical laboratory scientist in the Transfusion Service at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. She has over a decade of immunohematology and laboratory experience and is a recent graduate of the Specialist in Blood Banking program at Versiti – Wisconsin. Natalie is actively involved in training new employees and teaching students.

Click here for more about the curriculum for the AABB Blood Banking & Transfusion Medicine 101: eCast Series.  AABB eCasts are 60-90-minute interactive, online programs that include a question and answer period. Participants need access to a computer with an active Internet connection to participate. To register for online live and on-demand programs, view AABB’s registration options and pricing here.