Blood Card

Blood Card

Specifications
Species Bovine, Porcine, Ovine, Equine, Caprine, Canine, Feline
Additional Information
It is imperative that there is enough blood sample to fill the black circle outlined on the paper and that the sample is allowed to dry completely before folding down the top flap of the blood card for shipment.

Additional Information

It is imperative that there is enough blood sample to fill the black circle outlined on the paper and that the sample is allowed to dry completely before folding down the top flap of the blood card for shipment.

Main Components and Features
Filter Paper: The core of the card is made of high-purity, contamination-free, special filter paper with excellent water absorption, uniform thickness, and a specific pore size. This ensures uniform blood penetration and stable storage of analytes.

Sampling Area: The card typically features multiple pre-printed circles (usually 3-5) to indicate the blood drop location. Each circle must be completely saturated with blood.

Information Area: This area is blank for filling in or pasting basic patient information, such as name, serial number, date of birth, and sampling date and time. This is crucial for sample traceability.

Drying and Anti-Contamination Design: The dried blood spot can be placed in a dedicated plastic bag or envelope with a desiccant to prevent moisture and ensure sample stability during transport.

Main Uses of Blood Collection Cards
Blood collection cards have a wide range of applications, particularly in the following areas:

Newborn Disease Screening: This is the most widely known use. Within a few days of birth, a newborn’s blood is collected via a heel prick onto a blood sampling card. The blood is then sent to a specialized laboratory for testing to screen for dozens of inherited metabolic diseases, including phenylketonuria, hypothyroidism, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Epidemiological Surveys and Disease Surveillance: Blood sampling cards are ideal tools for large-scale population studies (such as epidemiological surveys of HIV, hepatitis, and malaria) due to their ease of collection, transportation, and storage.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: They are used to monitor drug concentrations in patients’ blood to assess efficacy and adjust dosages.

Biomarker Testing: They are used to detect hormones, antibodies, and viral nucleic acids (such as HIV DNA/RNA).

Forensic Medicine: They are used for DNA analysis and personal identification.

Pet Health Testing: Blood sampling cards are also commonly used in the veterinary field to test pets for infectious diseases.

Advantages: Minimally Invasive and Simple: Requiring only a fingertip or heel prick, no venous blood sampling is required. This procedure is minimally invasive to the patient (especially infants), simple to perform, and can be performed by trained non-specialists.

Easy to Transport and Store: Dried blood spots contain no liquid and are not prone to leakage. They are generally considered a low-risk biosafety material and can be shipped via regular mail. They take up little storage space and can be stored long-term at room temperature or frozen at -20°C.

Good Stability: Many analytes (such as antibodies and DNA) in dried blood spots are quite stable at room temperature and are not easily degraded.

Low Cost: The card itself is low-cost and significantly reduces the costs of blood collection tubes, centrifugation, and frozen shipping.

Disadvantages and Limitations: Limited Sample Volume: Each blood spot provides a small amount of serum/plasma, limiting the ability to perform repeat tests or multiple tests.

Blood Cell Interference: Whole blood samples contain blood cells, which may interfere with certain test methods.

Blood Spot Quality Affects Results: Insufficient blood volume, uneven penetration, contamination, or insufficient drying can significantly affect the accuracy of test results.

Standardization Challenges: Accurate quantitative analysis is more challenging than with liquid blood samples.

Basic Procedure
Preparation: Verify patient information and prepare the blood collection card, lancet, alcohol pad, etc.

Blood Collection: Clean the blood collection site (such as a fingertip or heel), prick the skin with the lancet, and wipe away the first drop of blood.

Blood Dropping: Allow the blood to form a droplet naturally. Gently touch the filter paper on the blood collection card, allowing it to absorb and completely fill a circle. Avoid repeated drops or touching the filter paper surface.

Drying: Place the blood collection card horizontally on a drying rack and air dry at room temperature for at least 3-4 hours, avoiding direct sunlight and heat.

Shipping: After drying, place the blood collection card in a dedicated moisture-proof bag and mail it to the testing laboratory along with the application form.