CRIB Blood Group: The Rare Lifesaver You Have Probably Never Heard Of

 

What is the CRIB rare blood group, and why is it so important? Discover this medical mystery and why a few drops could mean life or death.

Introduction: The Haystack in Blood Bank Needle

Consider going into a hospital with a loved one in need of an urgently required blood transfusion. Physicians hurry, nurses struggle and then there is said that chilling cry: There are no matching donors. It is a rare CRIB blood type of the patient. Now what? A, B, AB and O are familiar to us. Perhaps you have heard that Rh-negative is kind of a minority. But CRIB? That is something that even most healthcare workers have not experienced in their careers. It is that uncommon that it is near a medical ghost, yet it is like a lifeline to some handful of people. Now, let us clear the smokescreen of the CRIB blood group how it is related to who it helps and why creating awareness can eventually save a life.

So What Is CRIB Blood Group?

CRIB is not a usual ABO or Rh. Actually, CRIB belongs to the extended blood group antigen system, which is even further analysis of the markings at a microscopic level on red blood cells. CRIB is an abbreviation and it means Chromosome Region In Between. It is abnormally rare antigens on the surface of red blood cells that have the potential to cause an immune response in transfusions, when there is a mismatch. Individuals of this blood group are rare to the point that a matching blood donor can be considered a matchstick in a snowstorm. This is not about a person being a bit unusual, this is being one in millions. Science behind Rarity: Why is CRIB so Rare:

That sounds kind of Zoology-ish, so I am going to take it apart step by step without turning this into a medical lecture. These are the antigens, small protein tags that our red blood cells display to tell our immune system: “It is me, I belong here.” When an individual is transfused with blood that is incompatible with their antigens, the immune system will become active and destroy the transfused blood leading to severe complications including death. So, whereas most of the hospitals have now to test ABO and Rh compatibility, those with the CRIB blood group have unusual antigens that will not be detected in the usual screening. When an incompatible blood is administered to such a person, then it becomes catastrophic. Real-Life Story: A Mother's Quest

There is a heartbreaking story that rose in 2018 in India. A mother desperately tried but could not find blood of a rare CRIB-negative type of her child. She was rejected by hospitals. Her reception at blood banks was blank stares. She appealed via social media, went around cities, and even offered donors money during weeks. After a long search and a tiresome campaign, they finally found a compatible donor located more than 2,000 kilometers away. And you can imagine what stress that would be! That helplessness? It is not an isolated occurrence. Such cases are not as rare as we imagine, and in many cases, they can lead to tragic events since we do not exactly know that there would be such rare kinds. Why do the majority of the population and even doctors do not know about CRIB? Facts are facts. Blood is a complex subject. We all cease to learn biology at high school level. However, even in the medical profession, the information on rare blood types such as CRIB will not always be disseminated. That’s because: These are very rare blood types. It has less international studies. Such rare variants rarely get monitored or screened in most countries except when a case necessitates such tracking. Even sophisticated hospitals sometimes lack CRIB type blood in their inventories; that is why donor registries and rare-blood group networks are important. What Will CRIB-Type Person Do in case he/she needs Blood?

And here is the real deal. In case a person with CRIB blood requires transfusion, only two options work out: A CRIB donor that is a perfect match, that may take weeks or months to find. Autologous transfusion, their blood is already withdrawn and stored in advance in case another procedure has to be planned. This is one reason why it is literally life-saving to find out your blood type at an early stage and get registered as a rare blood donor. Why Rare Blood Donors are Tracked and Why that Matters to you? Organizations like International Rare Donor Panel ( IRDP), Indian Rare Donor Program, Rare Donor Program of American Red Cross keep secret records of rare blood donated. These organizations come into play whenever an emergency occurs whereby coordination of international transportation of rare blood is done. This is where you and I enter. Maybe you never had your expanded blood type? Well, perhaps it is time. After all, you may never know when it may turn out that you happen to be the only individual in the whole of the world who may have the chance to make a difference in the life of another. That is powerful now, how? Familiar Comparison: As Possessing a Special Key Consider blood transfusions as it could be a case of matching a lock and key. The general principle is that the larger majority of us have common locks, so common keys fit. However, to CRIB blooded people, it feels like a made to fit lock. There is only one key that fits into the world. And suppose that the key existed but that nobody ever would have found it, because nobody could have come to know of it or catalogued it. That is why awareness is important. How You Can Be of Assistance

It is not required that you be a doctor or a scientist and make a difference. These are some ways that you can become involved: a. Have Your Full Blood Types Done? b. Consult your local blood bank or laboratory as to whether or not they screen rare blood antigens. You may pay a slight premium, but the knowledge may save a life, your own or another. c. Sign up as a Rare Blood Donor d. Ask to be entered into national and international registries, if you have been found to be of a rare type (such as CRIB). Do not be alarmed, your information remains confidential, and you will be reached out to in case of emergency only. e. Enlighten People. Spread this blog post. Chat about CRIB. Tell about it in your social media. The more there is known, the more the potential matches can be found when they are required most. Summary: A Drop Counts

The CRIB blood group may be rare, but the lives it impacts are real, valuable, and most of the time, they are against time. When I found myself thinking about this article, it was good. This is the way that it is functioning. And one step further perhaps through having your blood tested, perhaps through registering, perhaps among your friends, then you are helping to provide a real solution. Due to the fact that in the world of unusual blood types, one can become either a donor or the victim of one person’s awareness can save the life.