Note 16 - Consolidating Statements of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
		Aug. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2015	May 31, 2016
Parent Company [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Net sales		$ 64,174	$ 63,887
Cost of sales (*)	[1]	21,480	20,264
Gross profit		42,694	43,623
Operating expenses:
Research and development		3,752	2,639
Selling and marketing		7,782	6,401
Distribution		2,144	2,443
General and administrative		7,990	7,288
Amortization expense		11,971	11,972
Total operating expenses		33,639	30,743
Income (loss) from operations		9,055	12,880
Non-operating (expense) income:
Interest income		195	39
Interest expense		(22,351)	(22,384)
Other, net		2,495	525
Total non-operating net expense		(19,661)	(21,820)
(Loss) income before income taxes		(10,606)	(8,940)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes		(4,720)	(2,250)
Net (loss) income before earnings of consolidated subsidaries		(5,886)	(6,690)
Net income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries		(2,774)	(527)
Net (loss) income		(8,660)	(7,217)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net loss attributable to shareholders of Immucor, Inc.		(8,660)
Net sales		64,174	63,887
Cost of sales (*)	[1]	21,480	20,264
Gross profit		42,694	43,623
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Net sales		16,259	14,718
Cost of sales (*)	[1]	9,397	8,967
Gross profit		6,862	5,751
Operating expenses:
Research and development		4,295	4,019
Selling and marketing		2,191	2,545
Distribution		312	389
General and administrative		1,612	1,300
Amortization expense		1,672	1,069
Total operating expenses		10,082	9,322
Income (loss) from operations		(3,220)	(3,571)
Non-operating (expense) income:
Interest income		5
Interest expense		(842)	(118)
Other, net		539	(128)
Total non-operating net expense		(298)	(246)
(Loss) income before income taxes		(3,518)	(3,817)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes		(776)	(1,401)
Net (loss) income before earnings of consolidated subsidaries		(2,742)	(2,416)
Net income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries
Net (loss) income		(2,742)	(2,416)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net loss attributable to shareholders of Immucor, Inc.		(2,742)
Net sales		16,259	14,718
Cost of sales (*)	[1]	9,397	8,967
Gross profit		6,862	5,751
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Net sales		36,127	35,299
Cost of sales (*)	[1]	23,551	22,603
Gross profit		12,576	12,696
Operating expenses:
Research and development		157	172
Selling and marketing		5,114	5,041
Distribution		1,646	1,587
General and administrative		1,917	2,158
Amortization expense		535	537
Total operating expenses		9,369	9,495
Income (loss) from operations		3,207	3,201
Non-operating (expense) income:
Interest income		99	25
Interest expense		(12)	(12)
Other, net		(2,407)	(524)
Total non-operating net expense		(2,320)	(511)
(Loss) income before income taxes		887	2,690
(Benefit) provision for income taxes		919	801
Net (loss) income before earnings of consolidated subsidaries		(32)	1,889
Net income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries
Net (loss) income		(32)	1,889
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net loss attributable to shareholders of Immucor, Inc.		(32)
Net sales		36,127	35,299
Cost of sales (*)	[1]	23,551	22,603
Gross profit		12,576	12,696
Immucor Inc and Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Net sales		98,593
Cost of sales (*)	[1]	36,461
Gross profit		62,132
Operating expenses:
Research and development		8,204
Selling and marketing		15,087
Distribution		4,102
General and administrative		11,519
Amortization expense		14,178
Total operating expenses		53,090
Income (loss) from operations		9,042
Non-operating (expense) income:
Interest income		196
Interest expense		(23,102)
Other, net		627
Total non-operating net expense		(22,279)
(Loss) income before income taxes		(13,237)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes		(4,577)
Net (loss) income before earnings of consolidated subsidaries		(8,660)
Net income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries
Net (loss) income		(8,660)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net loss attributable to shareholders of Immucor, Inc.		(8,660)
Net sales		98,593
Cost of sales (*)	[1]	36,461
Gross profit		62,132
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net sales		(17,967)	(17,192)
Cost of sales (*)	[1]	(17,967)	(17,192)
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
Research and development
Selling and marketing
Distribution
General and administrative
Amortization expense
Total operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Non-operating (expense) income:
Interest income		(103)	(22)
Interest expense		103	22
Other, net
Total non-operating net expense
(Loss) income before income taxes
(Benefit) provision for income taxes
Net (loss) income before earnings of consolidated subsidaries
Net income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries		2,774	527
Net (loss) income		2,774	527
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net loss attributable to shareholders of Immucor, Inc.		2,774
Net sales		(17,967)	(17,192)
Cost of sales (*)	[1]	(17,967)	(17,192)
Gross profit
VIE and VIE Eliminations [Member]
Net sales
Cost of sales (*)	[1]
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
Research and development		793
Selling and marketing
Distribution
General and administrative		31
Amortization expense		2
Total operating expenses		826
Income (loss) from operations		(826)
Non-operating (expense) income:
Interest income		(190)
Interest expense
Other, net		(1,226)
Total non-operating net expense		(1,416)
(Loss) income before income taxes		(2,242)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes		(798)
Net (loss) income before earnings of consolidated subsidaries		(1,444)
Net income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries
Net (loss) income		(1,444)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest		(1,444)
Net loss attributable to shareholders of Immucor, Inc.
Net sales
Cost of sales (*)	[1]
Gross profit
Net sales		98,593	96,712
Cost of sales (*)	[1],[2]	36,461	34,642
Gross profit		62,132	62,070
Research and development		8,997	6,830
Selling and marketing		15,087	13,987
Distribution		4,102	4,419
General and administrative		11,550	10,746
Amortization expense		14,180	13,578
Total operating expenses		53,916	49,560
Income (loss) from operations		8,216	12,510
Interest income		6	42
Interest expense		(23,102)	(22,492)
Other, net		(599)	(127)
Total non-operating net expense		(23,695)	(22,577)
(Loss) income before income taxes		(15,479)	(10,067)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes		(5,375)	(2,850)
Net (loss) income before earnings of consolidated subsidaries		(10,104)	(7,217)
Net income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries
Net (loss) income		(10,104)	(7,217)	$ (43,767)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest		(1,444)
Net loss attributable to shareholders of Immucor, Inc.		(8,660)	(7,217)
Net sales		98,593	96,712
Cost of sales (*)	[1],[2]	36,461	34,642
Gross profit		$ 62,132	$ 62,070

[1] Cost of sales is exclusive of amortization expense which is shown separately within operating expenses.

[2] Cost of sales is exclusive of amortization expense which is shown separately within operating expenses.