Question

A patient was rushed to hospital in an unconscious state due to severe loss of blood. Since, there was no time to assess his blood group, which of the following blood type would be the best to receive?

• A. AB negative
• B. O negative
• C. AB positive
• D. O positive

Answer 1

The correct option is B O negative

ABO blood grouping is based on the presence or absence of two surface antigens A and B (chemicals that can induce immune response). For example, blood group A has antigen A, blood group B has antigen B, blood group AB has both antigens A and B on the surface of RBCs (red blood cells). But blood group O has no antigen (A and B) on the surface of RBCs.

In addition to the ABO blood grouping system, the other prominent one is the Rh blood group system. About 80% of the population contains the third antigen on the surface of their red blood cells known as Rh factor or Rh antigen. This decides whether the blood group is positive or negative. If the Rh factor is present, an individual is rhesus positive (Rh+ve); if an Rh factor is absent, the individual is rhesus negative (Rh-ve).

O negative blood contains no A, B, or Rh antigens. Almost anyone with any blood type can receive these red blood cells. A person with group O negative blood is a universal donor. Hence, without any assessment done on the patient, he can receive O negative blood type.