Prolonged erythrocyte T-polyagglutination in two children with bowel disorders.

In vivo erythrocyte polyagglutination of microbial origin is usually a transient condition. In two children with bowel disorders, erythrocyte T-polyagglutination persisted for 12 months in one case and for seven months in the other. Both cultures required both transfusions to support surgery. Washed red cell concentrates were transfused instead of whole blood to prevent dangerous destruction of T-transformed erythrocytes by anti-T antibodies normally present in the plasma of blood donors.