Congratulations to France Pirenne and Aline Floch for their article in Lancet Haematology on the mechanisms and risk factors of alloimmunisation, their impact in Western and resource-poor countries!

France Pirenne, Aline Floch, “Transfusion and Red Blood Cell Diseases” team, and Professor Saliou of the Department of Haematology, National Center for Blood Transfusion, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar have just published an excellent article in the Lancet Haematology of 13 April 2023.

Transfusion remains a major treatment in sickle cell disease, but this treatment is not without risk. These patients, essentially of African ancestry, develop a high incidence of anti-erythrocyte antibodies (alloimmunisation) which can lead to serious post-transfusion haemolysis. This alloimmunisation in France is partly due to the differences in blood groups between these patients and the donors, who are mainly of Caucasian origin. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, alloimmunisation remains important despite the proximity of blood groups between donors and patients with sickle cell disease.

In this Point of View the three authors discuss the mechanisms and risk factors of alloimmunisation, their impact in Western and low-resource countries, and the challenges ahead.

Access to the article published in Lancet Haematology