Who can receive O negative blood transfusions?

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Detailed Solution

When discussing red blood cell transfusions, O negative blood is known as the universal donor. This means O negative red blood cells can be given to patients with any blood type:

O+ and O-
A+ and A-
B+ and B-
AB+ and AB-

This universal compatibility is because O negative red blood cells lack all three major antigens—A, B, and RhD—that can trigger a recipient's immune system. The absence of these antigens means there is nothing for the recipient's antibodies to attack, preventing a potentially fatal hemolytic transfusion reaction.

This makes O- blood critically important in trauma, emergency surgery, and for transfusing infants when there is no time to determine the patient's blood type.

Important Note: While O negative individuals are universal donors of red cells, they are universal recipients of only one type. A person with O negative blood can only receive O negative red blood cells.

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