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Agree; O+ is the Universal Donor.

Apparently, O+ represents the largest percentage of all racial extracts (Caucasian, African American, Latino, and Asian).

Additionally, because of the CMV negative designation, my blood can be supposedly used on newborns who have not yet been exposed to CMV.

Not sure what the hell the "Rare" designation means, though.

Saying O is universal is kind of a misnomer...O+ can only be used if the recipient in also Rh positive. O- is the true universal donor because any blood type regardless of Rh can accept it.

Being CMV negative is what gets the "rare" designation.

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If what I remember from school is right, there are four major blood groups. A, B, AB, and O.

O- blood is a universal donor. AB+ is a universal recipient. 

So a recipient who is of type A blood, can take either type A or type O blood. A recipient with type be can only take type B or O.

A recipient with type O blood can only take type O.

A Recipient with type AB can take A, B, O or AB.

With concerns to the +/- (I forget what its called), if you are a +, you can receive either + or - blood.  If you are a minus, you can only receive -.

That means someone with A+ bood can receive blood from A+,A-, O+ ad O-.  A person with A- blood can only receive from A- or O-. Someone with O- can only take from O-, and AB+ is universal for a recipient.

Good catch, Colt808... you are correct; O- is the Universal Donor.

As I understand it, the CMV- tag means that the donor has not yet been exposed to the cytomegalovirus.  I also understand that the CMV- tag is quite common, but can change to CMV+ without the donor being aware of the change.

From my further reading, it seems the "Rare" tag is separate and distinct from the CMV- tag; the "Rare" designation has to do, not with the donor's exposure (or lack thereof) to the cytomegalovirus, but rather to the presence of uncommon blood antigens, or the absence of common blood antigens.

Some "Rare" designations include Code 96 (red cells lack a particular combination of common markers) and Code 99 (red cells lack a marker nearly all other people have).

Still trying to learn more about this.

All that is entirely possible...Since O is fairly common, your "rare" designation must have to be something else. Whatever it might be, I doubt the phlebotomist will have the answers. Just accept that you're a blood mutant. 

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Seems like something they'd want most people to know but it sounds like a lot of people (including myself) have no idea.  I used to do a blood test on a monthly basis for a medication I was on too and I still have no clue.

Quuuuaaaaaid..... start the reactor!

CLASSIC! 

Seems like something they'd want most people to know but it sounds like a lot of people (including myself) have no idea.  I used to do a blood test on a monthly basis for a medication I was on too and I still have no clue.

It is definitely something everyone should know. Unfortunately it is not a normal test they run AND most insurance plans don't cover blood typing by patient request.

If what I remember from school is right, there are four major blood groups. A, B, AB, and O.

O- blood is a universal donor. AB+ is a universal recipient. 

So a recipient who is of type A blood, can take either type A or type O blood. A recipient with type be can only take type B or O.

A recipient with type O blood can only take type O.

A Recipient with type AB can take A, B, O or AB.

With concerns to the +/- (I forget what its called), if you are a +, you can receive either + or - blood.  If you are a minus, you can only receive -.

That means someone with A+ bood can receive blood from A+,A-, O+ ad O-.  A person with A- blood can only receive from A- or O-. Someone with O- can only take from O-, and AB+ is universal for a recipient.

RH (Rhesus) factor denotes a protein found on the surface of the red blood cells, specifically, the "D" antigen (if I recall there are like 50 different antigens in the Rh blood group system).

So, if you Rh+ you have this D antigen on RBCs, and if you are RH -, you don't. Easy way to remember is that if your positive you already have the antigen so your body is "used" to it. So, you can (within the appropriate ABO typing requirements) receive blood with or without this antigen. But if you don't have the antigen (Rh-) your body will perceive the D antigen as a foreign protein and muster its defenses to get rid of it...a transfusion reaction.

Fun fact, nobody knows what the purpose of blood group types is.

I've been following blood type for the purposes of diet and would say it works.

Check out this chart to see what kinds of foods are beneficial, neutral or harmful to you based on your blood type.

http://www.soulcraft.co/info/food_chart.htm

I feel sorry for those of blood type AB. They seem to have the most food allergies and the least options for beneficial food.

I've been following blood type for the purposes of diet and would say it works.

Check out this chart to see what kinds of foods are beneficial, neutral or harmful to you based on your blood type.

http://www.soulcraft.co/info/food_chart.htm

I feel sorry for those of blood type AB. They seem to have the most food allergies and the least options for beneficial food.

I'll give you my bacon when you pry it from my cold dead hands!

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I'll give you my bacon when you pry it from my cold dead hands!

Yeah, pork and bacon act like a poison?

Yo' mama!

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Costco Turkey Bacon! 

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140715-why-do-we-have-blood-types

Very informative link - mahalo!
Imagine being that first tranfusion experiment guy.  x-x  gonzers