when blood is transfused does recipient receive donors antibodies to previous infections?

Question

if a 60yr old adults blood was tranfused to young person, and antibodies that the elder person has built up during their lifetime were transfered too, that would be useful. Not going to be as simple as that I suppose.

Answer 1

Yes, but they just get a small dose of the donor's circulating antibodies. This is called "passive immunity". The biological half life of antibodies is just a few weeks to months, so they will not accumulate much.

The lymphocytes (a type of WBC) from the donor would be sources of a continuing supply of antibodies (and of "cellular immunity", which is another huge topic!) but the recipient's WBC will kill off any donor WBC; they are treated as if they are a mismatched organ graft, in a "host vs graft" reaction.

Answer 2

Antibodies come in several kinds, and some are able to continue their ability to protect from disease, and some are not.

Vaccines that convey immunity for a realtively short period of time, are, if I remember right, serum antibodies. Cell mediated antibodies, on the other hand, are produced when a foreign bacteria or virus, or fungus, or protozoan, actually invades the body. The lymph cells analyze the foreign material, and make an antibody. when that antibody is used up, the cells can make more. Even after years, the lymph cells can make more antibody quickly, so that a new invasion of foreign material is hardly noticed. Vaccines made from killed virus or bacteria give the most lasting immunity.

So the answer is, some of the passive immunity serum antibodies will not last very long after being transfused. Cell mediated antibodies, if the lymphocytes transfused graft, can be permanent.

Answer 3

Yes, if someone was given whole blood. Usually people get specific blood components - plasma for volume, packed red blood cells for anemia, etc.

Gama globin is the anti-bodies from other people concentrated to build up another person's immunitiy. They circulate in the body for a number of weeks but do not give any long-lasting immunity. That comes when your body make antibodies to an infection within your own body.

A bit like getting a ammo-belt with a expiration date versus having your own bullet factory.

Answer 4

Antibodies are only present in the blood when the body is exposed to infection. They are produced by a white blood cell type, and in the case of fighting previous infections, there are cells that are stored in the lymph nodes that maintain what could be thought of as a database of infectious agents. These cells are replaced about every ten years, so not all illnesses that you've had will remain in your 'database' unless you've been exposed on multiple occasions.

You may get a few free-floating white cells that produce antibodies, but you will not get the ones that maintian the info needed (I like to refer to them as 'sleeper-cells' in my imagination). So, if you get a few active white blood cells, you may get a bit of protection in the short term, but it is likely that your own white cells are more important than the ones you took in.

I hope that makes sense. :)

Answer 5

Yes, but only one unit is added to their supply of many, so wont make enough of a difference to help. You would not be able to fight infections with only this many antibodies.

Answer 6

It does not matter how old or young a person is, it is the quality of blood. i.e. not infected....soooooo simple, think.

Answer 7

i think thats correct.....as when i used to give blood i told them i had M.E when i was 13.......was in hospital for a year......they said thats ok you just have the antibodies which is a positive thing....fights against it..........