Glossary
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X Y Z
A
Abscess - An abscess is a collection of pus usually formed due to infection
Adsorption - Adsorption is the accumulation of molecules on the surface of a solid or liquid
Antepartum - Occurring before the onset of labour.
Antibody - A complex protein produced in response to an antigen (or foreign body).
Anti-D immunoglobulin - Anti-D immunoglobulin (IgG) is the antibody formed when an RhD-negative individual is exposed to RhD-positive red blood cells.
Antigen - Substances which stimulate the formation of antibodies. Antigens are often large foreign molecules associated with bacteria or viruses.
Artery - An artery is a blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the body
Autoimmune disorders - These are disorders in which the immune system becomes active against certain of the body’s own proteins.
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B
Bilirubin - Bilirubin is a natural product arising from the normal breakdown of red blood cells in the body and is excreted in the bile, through the actions of the liver.
Blood groups - Blood groups indicate the differences in our blood types. There are four main blood groups: A, B, AB & O. These groups are then either RhD positive or negative meaning that your blood group can be one of eight variations.
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C
Carrier - A person who carries the gene for a recessive trait. This trait is not evident in the carrier, but may be passed on to the carrier's children (50:50 chance of passing on the trait).
Centrifugation - Centrifugation is the process of separating substances of different densities using a centrifuge
Chromatography - Chromatography is a process for separating mixtures by virtue of differences in absorbency
Clot - The plug that develops at a bleeding site and stops the flow of blood.
Clotting factors - Blood is made up of a variety of different clotting factors that help the blood to clot when an injury occurs
Coagulation - Coagulation is the process by which we stop bleeding and form clots at the site of an injury
Concentrate - Factor VIII that has been separated from plasma, freeze-dried and presented as a powder. It can be reconstituted with a diluent (sterile water) and administered to people with low levels of factor VIII.
Cryoprecipitate - Particles containing factor VIII that precipitate or settle out when frozen plasma is thawed. Cryoprecipitate was discovered in 1965 by Judith Pool.
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D
Depth filtration - Depth filtration has several layers of filtration to remove viruses during the production process
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E
Ectopic pregnancy - This refers to pregnancy occurring elsewhere than in the womb. The commonest site is a Fallopian tube but it may also occur in the cervix of the womb or very rarely inside the peritoneal cavity. It may lead to miscarriage or, more seriously, to rupture of the tube, with pain, bleeding, and shock.
External cephalic version - This is a procedure for turning a foetus that is lying in a breech or transverse position so that its head will enter the birth canal first.
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F
Factor VIII - A clotting factor protein needed for coagulation. People with haemophilia A have low levels of factor VIII.
Foetus - A foetus in an unborn baby
Fractionation - Fractionation is a process that uses heat to separate a substance into its components
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G
Genetic - A genetic condition is usually something that occurs within families and can be inherited
Globulins - A water-soluble, spheroidal class of proteins. Globulins constitute the majority of molecular species of biologically active proteins in living systems such as enzymes and antibodies, and are of four main types (termed alpha 1, alpha 2, beta and gamma).
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H
Haemoglobin - Haemoglobin is a protein found in the blood that carries oxygen and small amounts of carbon dioxide
Haemolytic Disease of the Newborn - Haemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN) is caused by an incompatibility between the rhesus blood group of the mother and foetus. HDN can be mild but can also lead to jaundice, brain damage or even the death of the child. With further RhD-positive children, the antibody reaction becomes faster and more serious.
Haemophilia - Haemophilia is a disorder of the blood where there is not enough of one of the clotting factors required for blood clots to form. Haemophilia A is the most common form of haemophilia and is a deficiency of clotting factor 8 (VIII). Haemophilia B is a deficiency of clotting factor 9 (IX)
Hepatitis B (HBV) - HBV is a virus which causes inflammation of the liver
Hepatitis C (HCV) - HCV is a virus which causes inflammation of the liver
Hereditary angioedema - Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare, genetic condition that can cause considerable swelling in various body tissues.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) - HIV is a virus which attacks the immune system and prevents it from functioning. It can be transferred from human to human via blood and bodily fluids.
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I
Immune system - The immune system protects the body against invasion by foreign organisms. The immune system has many parts, but the most important part is played by lymphocytes (white blood cells).
Immunoglobulin - Another name for antibody. There are five major classes: IgA, IgD, IgG, IgM and IgE.
Infusion - Administration of factor replacement concentrate.
Inhibitor - An antibody against a coagulation factor that interferes with coagulation factor function.
Intravenous - Intravenous is the process of giving medication directly into a vein
Ion exchange chromatography - Separates molecules on the basis of their charge. Charged molecules become absorbed to the ion exchange medium and are successively precipitated with increasing ion concentration.
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J
Jaundice - Jaundice means the yellow appearance of the skin and whites of the eyes that can occur when the blood contains an excess of the pigment Bilirubin.
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K
K - There are currently no definitions used starting with K
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L
Low pH Treatment - Low pH treatment in a purification step to destroy viruses during the production process.
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M
Monoclonal antibody purification - A process used in the manufacture of factor replacement concentrates in which monoclonal antibodies are used to separate specific proteins (such as factor VIII) from other proteins.
Multipara - (pl multiparae). A woman who has given birth to more than one child.
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N
Nanofiltration - This is a method by which material is pumped through a system of hollow fibres with an average pore size of 15nm in order to filter out any viruses that are present.
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O
On-demand treatment - The practice of administering factor replacement concentrate in response to a bleeding episode.
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P
Partitioning - Partitioning is the act of dividing or separating
Passive immunisation - This is the application of antibodies from an immune individual to the non-immune patient. This treatment is used when an individual has been, or probably will be, exposed to an infectious disease and there is insufficient time for active immunisation.
Pasteurisation - The process by which a substance is partially sterilised at a temperature that destroys harmful micro organisms
Pathogens - Pathogens are bacteria that cause infection, disease and illness
Pharmacovigilance - Pharmacovigliance is the science relating to the detection, assessment, understand and prevention of adverse effects of medicine
Plasma - Plasma is the portion of the blood that remains after red cells, white blood cells and platelets are removed. Plasma consists of water, salts (electrolytes), and proteins, including coagulation factors.
Plasmapheresis - Plasmapheresis is the process by which plasma is separated from whole blood using a plasmapheresis device. The automated process separates the plasma and then returns the remaining components of the blood to the donor.
Platelets - A minute disc-shaped cell fragment in mammalian blood. They play an important role in blood clotting and release serotonin, which causes a chain of events leading to the formation of a plug of platelets at the site of the damage, thus preventing further blood loss.
Postpartum - Relating to the period of a few days immediately after birth.
Precipitation - Precipitation is the formation of a solid in a solution during a chemical reaction
Primary Immunodeficiency Disease - People with primary immunodeficiency disease (PID) are born with an immune system that doesn’t produce enough antibodies in the blood to fight infection. Primary immunodeficiency disorders are caused by inherent, often genetic, defects in the cells of the immune system.
Primipara - (pl primiparae). A woman who is bearing a child or has given birth to a child for the first time.
Prion - A prion is an infectious protein particle which is similar to a virus
Prophylaxis - The practice of giving treatment as a preventative measure rather than after a problem has occurred. For example Anti-D immunoglobulin
Prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs) - Low-purity factor replacement products that contain factor IX and coagulation factors II, VII and X. PCCs may be used in patients who have developed inhibitors to factor VIII.
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Q
Q - There are currently no definitions used starting with Q
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R
Recombinant Plasma - Plasma formed by recombining genetic material to product the necessary coagulation factors.
Recovered plasma - Recovered plasma is plasma taken from whole blood donations
Rhesus Blood Group - People can belong to one of four blood groups, A, B, AB and O which are carried on the red blood cells. The other important difference in people’s blood is called rhesus factor, which is also found in the red blood cells. People who are rhesus positive have a substance known as D antigen on the surface of their red blood cells. People who are rhesus negative do not have the D antigen on their blood cells.
Rhesus factors - Rhesus factors are proteins attached to the surface of red blood cells (erythrocytes) that are part of the system that determines a person’s blood group.
Rhesus sensitisation - When the blood cells from a RhD-positive baby get into the blood of a RhD-negative woman, she will react to the D antigen in the baby’s blood as though it is a foreign substance and will produce antibodies. This is called ‘rhesus sensitisation’.
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S
Secondary Immunodeficiency - Secondary immunodeficiency is a problem with the immune system that is acquired and may be the result of other serious disorders such as cancer or following a bone marrow transplantation.
Serology - Serology is the scientific study of blood serum
Solvent/detergent Treatment - Solvent/detergent treatment destroys viruses during the production process
Source Plasma - Source plasma is when plasma is taken directly from a donor via a process known as plasmapheresis.
Stroke - A stroke is a brain injury caused by a sudden interruption of blood flow
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T
None - None
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U
U - There are currently no definitions used starting with U
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V
Vitamin K - Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps in the clotting of blood
Von Willebrand Disease - People with von Willebrand Disease (VWD) have a problem with one of the clotting factors in the blood; this particular clotting factor is known as von Willebrand factor (VWF).
von Willebrand factor - A protein in plasma, platelets, and endothelial cells that serves to anchor platelets to a damaged blood vessel and to carry coagulation factor VIII in the plasma. The von Willebrand factor binds to factor VIII.
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W
Warfarin: - an anticoagulation medication that prevents blood clots from forming.
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X Y Z
X Y Z - There are currently no definitions used starting with X Y or Z
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