• Question: what happens if your blood mixes with someone elses?

    Asked by kalemoneill to Karen on 8 Nov 2016.
    • Photo: Karen

      Karen answered on 8 Nov 2016:

      Well it depends on the circumstances of how they mix. If your blood is transfused to another person and has been tested to ensure it is compatible then you could save their life. If your blood wasn’t compatible, it will haemolyse (break up into little bits) and they could die.
      If your blood mixes with someone else’s and gets into there circulatory system you could (a) give them an infection such as HIV, hepatitis C, hepatitis B, malaria, cytomegalovirus, chagas disease, Zika virus etc etc (b) cause them to develop antibodies to your blood type e.g. Rh D antibodies which if their are female could affect their baby if they become pregnant or cause them to have a transfusion reaction if the ever get blood.
      Hope this answers your question☺

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