Which term describes panagglutination caused by bacteria contaminating patient serum during DAT testing?

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Multiple Choice

Which term describes panagglutination caused by bacteria contaminating patient serum during DAT testing?

The phenomenon described is polyagglutination. When bacteria contaminate patient serum during the DAT, their enzymes modify the red cell surface carbohydrates, exposing cryptantigens that are widely recognized by antibodies in many sera. This broad exposure causes agglutination of many red cells, i.e., panagglutination. It’s distinguished from autoagglutination, which involves the patient’s own antibodies targeting their own cells, and from the less standard term hyperagglutination, which isn’t the mechanism here.

The phenomenon described is polyagglutination. When bacteria contaminate patient serum during the DAT, their enzymes modify the red cell surface carbohydrates, exposing cryptantigens that are widely recognized by antibodies in many sera. This broad exposure causes agglutination of many red cells, i.e., panagglutination. It’s distinguished from autoagglutination, which involves the patient’s own antibodies targeting their own cells, and from the less standard term hyperagglutination, which isn’t the mechanism here.

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