An update on the CD59 blood group system

This update of the CD59 blood group system (Weinstock C, Anliker M, von Zabern I. CD59: a long-known complement inhibitor has advanced to a blood group system. Immunohematology 2015;31:145–51) increases the number of reported patients with CD59 deficiency from 10 to 14. All of these 14 patients suffered from severe illness. Recently, a new variant allele was found in heterozygosity. Flow cytometry data suggest that this variant was expressed on the red blood cells of the propositus. Although additional alleles have been found, the CD59 system (International Society of Blood Transfusion system 35) continues to have one antigen.