Survival of transfused red cells in blackwater fever circulation and of blackwater red cells in normal circulation

Abstract

Red cells from compatible donors when transfused into individuals with blackwater fever hemolyze as quickly as do the patient''s red cells. Infected red cells transfused into normal individuals continue to hemolyze although the normal red cells do not. Some factor is present that affects all red cells, natural or introduced, in cases of blackwater fever, and will complete their destruction even after removal to a normal environment. This. factor persists to some degree all during convalescence. Plasma from a hemolyzing case when transfused into malarial patients did not carry the hemolyzing factor. Either the hemolyzins in the plasma were too dilute or were exhausted. Hemolyzins from jaundice patients do not affect transfused normal red cells. In such cases the hemolyzing factors must be entirely intracellular. In both blackwater fever and in hemolytic jaundice the lyso-lecithin fragility of red cells is increased materially. This fact furnishes a better test for hemolytic tendencies than does either spherocytosis or saline fragility. The cause of such lyso-lecithin fragility is as yet undetd.