Auto-Immune Anti-D Specificity in Infancy

In 1953, Weiner et al1published the first well documented case of a specific auto-immune hemolytic anemia, an adult from whose serum and red cell eluate antibodies with anti-e specificity were isolated. Subsequently, additional reports of specific auto-antibodies appeared in the literature and with rare exception were shown to be part of the Rh system.2-4Reference to the majority of these cases has been cited by Dacie,5who noted that the incidence of specific auto-antibodies approximated 30%, with anti-e being the most common. However, prior to 1961, no reports of specificity had been described among the 30 carefully reviewed cases in infants under 1½ years of age.6-8Shortly thereafter, the first such examples were reported by Laski and co-workers,9who described a 5½-month-old infant with anti-E and anti-f and a 2½-month-old infant with anti-D antibodies. The present report is a description of anti-D specificity in