Glossary

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AABB - American Association of Blood Banks (preferred name is AABB)
A national organization of community blood centers and hospital transfusion services. America's Blood Centers A consortium of independent community blood centers; one of three major blood collection organizations in the USA.

ABO - A-B-O Blood Groups
A system for identifying the major blood groups, depending on the presence or absence of two common antigens labeled A and B. A-type blood has the A antigen. B-type has the B antigen. AB blood has both, and O blood has neither.

Allogenic Donation
A blood donation by a volunteer donor that is intended to be used by someone other than oneself.

Anemia
A condition in which there is reduced oxygen delivery to the tissues due to a reduction in the oxygen-carrying capacity of circulating red cells. It may result from increased destruction of red cells, excessive blood loss or decreased production of red cells.

Antigen
A substance that is recognized by the body as being foreign, and as such can trigger an immune response. In blood, antigens are usually, but not exclusively, found on the surface of the blood cell.

Apheresis
A special blood donation procedure in which only specific blood components (plasma, platelets, red cells or white cells) are collected. Blood is drawn and processed through a cell separator, retaining the desired component and returning the rest to the body.

Autologous Donation
A donation of blood or blood components by a patient for subsequent transfusion to him or herself.

BDR - Blood Donation Record
An official, confidential, regulated document used for recording blood donation information, donor demographic and health history data and donor consent.

Bone Marrow
Tissue that produces all blood cells in adults. The bone marrow is found inside the bones, most prominently in the pelvis, long bones and spinal cord.

Community Blood Center
Local blood banking organizations.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
The human form of "mad cow disease."

Cryoprecipitated AHF
Concentrated form of fibrinogen, one of the clotting proteins.

DDR - Deferred Donor Registry
A Red Cross database that tracks permanently or temporarily deferred donors.

Deferral
Not permitting donors to give blood, either temporarily or permanently, for medical or safety reasons.

Derivatives
Blood products obtained from liquid or frozen plasma units that have been pooled and then chemically separated.

Directed Donation
Blood donation designated for transfusion to a specific recipient. Often comes from the friends and family of the recipient. If the intended recipient does not use the blood it may be released for use by other patients.

DRD Rep - Donor Recruitment Department Representative
Red Cross staff who work with blood drive sponsors to organize mobile blood drives.

eBDR - Electronic Blood Donation Record
An electronic system for handling regulated blood donor records.

FDA - Food and Drug Administration
The federal regulatory body with oversight responsibility for Red Cross Biomedical Services.

FFP - Fresh Frozen Plasma
Plasma frozen within eight hours of donation.

Hb - Hemoglobin (See HgB)

Hct - Hematocrit
A test measuring the percent of red cells in a sample of whole blood. Used to test for anemia. Low Hct can cause a donor deferral.

HBV - Hepatitis B Virus
A virus transmitted through blood and other body fluids that causes hepatitis. All blood donations are tested for hepatitis B. Those that test positive are destroyed and the blood donor is notified and permanently deferred.

HCV - Hepatitis C Virus
A virus that causes hepatitis. All blood donations are tested for the hepatitis C virus. Blood from donors who test positive for HCV antibodies is destroyed and the blood donor is notified and permanently deferred.

HgB - Hemoglobin
An oxygen carrying protein red cell that imparts the red color to healthy blood. Used to test for anemia. Low HgB can cause a donor deferral.

Hemophilia
A hereditary bleeding disorder, in which blood does not clot normally. People with the disorder bleed for longer periods of time, which is most concerning when bleeding occurs internally in the joints, tissues, muscles, and especially the vital organs, such as the brain. Many hemophiliacs rely on regular transfusions of the clotting factor in plasma.

HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Either of two closely related viruses responsible for AIDS that can be transmitted through infected blood.

HLA type - Human Leukocyte Antigen Type
Thousands of different HLA (tissue) types distinguish cells of different individuals. Matching HLA types is important for certain therapies.

Leukocyte
A general term for white blood cells, including granulocyte, lymphocyte, monocyte, etc. Among the functions of the leukocyte are the engulfment of bacteria, fungi and viruses.

LOS - Lines of Service
Red Cross has six main lines of service: Biomedical, Disaster, Community, Armed Forces Emergency Services, Health & Safety and International.

LRBC - Leukoreduced Red Blood Cells
Red blood cell product, from which white blood cells (leukocytes) have been filtered out.

MUA - Mobile Unit Assistant
A staff function at a mobile blood drive.

NTL - National Testing Laboratory
One of five Red Cross centralized labs located throughout the U.S. where all tests on blood donated to the Red Cross are performed.

Phlebotomy
The procedure in which one's vein is entered for the purpose of withdrawing blood.

Plasma
The liquid portion of the blood. It contains coagulation factors and is used to treat patients who develop bleeding problems during major surgery or massive trauma. Because some of the factors lose effectiveness quickly, plasma must be frozen in order to preserve its functions. See Fresh Frozen Plasma.

PSA - Public Service Announcement
An announcement aired by media outlets as a public service (no charge) for not-for-profit organizations.

QNS - Quantity Not Sufficient
A unit of blood where the quantity collected in the primary blood bag does not meet volume criteria for transfusion purposes.

QNS Rate - Quantity Not Sufficient Rate
Percent of non-deferred donors whose donated unit did not meet volume criteria for transfusion.

RBC - Red Blood Cells
Blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body and give blood its red color. They are transfused to people who fail to produce their own, have severe bleeding or a low blood count.

Rh Factor
The +/- factor in individual blood types. Rh and ABO are the key factors in matching donors and transfusion patients—85 percent of people are Rh-positive.

RSMO - Regularly Scheduled Mobile Operation
A blood drive that operates on a regular, fixed schedule in a location that has not been registered as a fixed collection site; may be supported through telerecruitment.

SCU - Self-Contained Unit
A mobile vehicle for holding blood drives, often a bus.

TTD - Transfusion Transmitted Disease
A disease carried in the blood that can develop in a transfusion recipient.

What You Must Know
A regulated document, which must be read by all donors prior to the donation process.

Whole Blood
The blood in veins and arteries. Blood is made up of several elements, each of which performs a special function in the body. The transfusable parts of whole blood are red blood cells, plasma and platelets.