FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
During former US President Barack Obama's travels, a team of doctors and nurses was always on standby. The reason? His blood type, AB negative, is one of the rarest in the world and requires immediate supplies in case of an emergency. But even this rare type pales in comparison to another unique phenomenon: Rh-null, known as "golden blood."
Rh-null is the rarest blood type in the world, occurring in only about one in six million people. To date, fewer than 50 people have been identified with this phenotype. What makes it so special is the total absence of all Rh antigens on red blood cells.
On the one hand, this blood is extremely valuable, because it can be transfused to people with very rare forms of blood incompatibility. On the other hand, for the people who have it themselves, the situation is dangerous: they can only receive Rh-null blood, which makes any medical emergency a serious challenge.
For this reason, there is a small international network of rare blood donors. One of them is Suzette Fourie from South Africa, who has donated dozens of units of blood during her lifetime. Health authorities have also set up special archives where rare blood is frozen and stored for up to ten years, for use in emergencies around the world.
Scientists are working to produce "golden blood" in the laboratory, using advanced cell biology technologies. However, these methods are still in the experimental stages and require a lot of testing before they can be used in practice.
Until science finds a lasting solution, rare donors remain the only saviors for people with this unique blood type – a powerful reminder that even something as small as a blood cell can make the difference between life and death.
Lini një Përgjigje