hemolytic

Destructive to red blood cells; hematolytic.

Pertaining to, characterized by, or producing hemolysis.

• h. anemia — anemia caused by the increased destruction of erythrocytes which may occur in the vascular system—intravascular hemolysis, or due to phagocytosis by the monocyte–macrophage system—extravascular or intracellular hemolysis. It may result from incompatibility (see alloimmune hemolytic anemia of the newborn), from mismatched blood transfusions, from poisons such as copper, organic agents in plants such as kale, from nutritional deficiencies such as phosphorus and from protozoan infections such as babesiosis. Hemolytic anemia may also occur as a result of a disorder of the immune response in which B cell-produced antibodies fail to recognize erythrocytes that are ‘self’ and directly attack and destroy them. In addition to the usual signs of anemia, the patient may also exhibit jaundice.
• h. component — a degree of extravascular hemolysis in association with other types of anemia.
• h. disease of the newborn — see alloimmune hemolytic anemia of the newborn.
• h. enterotoxemia — a little reported disease recorded mostly in Australia in sheep, cattle and foals; a highly fatal hemolytic anemia associated with a heavy population of Clostridium perfringens type A in the intestines.
• h. plaque assay — see plaque assay.
• h.–uremic syndrome — a microangiopathic hemolytic anemia with thrombocytopenia and severe involvement of renal vasculature which leads to acute renal failure. In humans associated with verocytoxin-producing bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Shigella and some Salmonella; usually associated with the ingestion of poorly cooked meat. A similar clinical syndrome has been reported in cows, horses and dogs.