Question

You have performed an antibody screen using the tube method. All three screening cells test negative. The check cells in all three tubes are also nonreactive. What should you do?

1) Re-spin the tubes and reread them
2) Report the antibody screen as negative
3) Repeat the antibody screen with new reagent
4) Perform an antibody identification panel

Answer 1

If all three screening cells and the check cells in all three tubes are nonreactive in the antibody screen using the tube method, it is recommended to repeat the antibody screen with new reagent. Performing an antibody identification panel may be necessary if the repeat antibody screen also yields negative results.

Step-by-step explanation:

If all three screening cells and the check cells in all three tubes are nonreactive in the antibody screen using the tube method, the correct course of action would be to repeat the antibody screen with new reagent. This is because a negative result could be due to a variety of factors, such as a technical error or the absence of the antibody of interest from the reagent used. By repeating the test with new reagents, any potential issues can be ruled out and a more accurate result can be obtained.

Performing an antibody identification panel (option 4) may be necessary if the repeat antibody screen also yields negative results. This panel helps to identify any specific antibodies present in the patient's serum. However, it is recommended to repeat the antibody screen first before proceeding to the antibody identification panel to ensure the accuracy of the results.