Can You Donate Blood If You Have Hiv

If You Might Have Herpes

Wondering if you have herpes and want to know before you donate blood? See your doctor to get tested for herpes and other common sexually transmitted infections , especially if youve recently had sex with a new partner.

Now that youve decided that youre eligible to donate blood, where do you donate?

Here are some resources to figure out where the nearest blood donation center is in your area:

• Use the Find a Drive tool at the Red Cross website to find a local blood drive using your zip code.
• Look for a local blood bank using the AABB website.

Can You Donate Blood If You Have Hpv

Since the transmission of HPV doesnt occur through blood, you can donate blood if you have HPV. The American Red Cross guidelines about blood donation for people with HPV states that people with venereal warts may donate blood if they are otherwise feeling well and healthy and also fulfill all other eligibility criteria. Some of the requirements for donating blood are:

• You should be feeling well and in good general health.
• You must be at least 17 years old.
• You must weigh at least 110 lbs.
• You can donate whole blood every 56 days.

List Of Countries With Their Stand On Msm Blood Donors

This list shows countries that had restrictions on blood donors. Most national standards require direct questioning regarding a man’s sexual history, but the length of deferral varies.

Italy , Latvia, Poland, Russia and Spain are the only European countries that don’t have deferral policies for men who have sex with men. The donation is allowed if the donor hasn’t had a risky sexual encounter, but not depending on the sexual orientation of the donor. For example, in Italy, the questionnaire item for sexual behavior is symmetrical with respect to homosexual, heterosexual and bisexual intercourses and mentions them explicitly, as well as all points of sexual contact , and does not mention usage of protection.

The UK since November 2017 has implemented a 3-month deferral policy on all gay/bi men who want to donate their blood. However, this did not apply to Northern Ireland until 2020. The Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs recommended the policy change after a study concluded that a total ban may breach equality legislation and that the risk of HIV reaching the blood supply would only increase by approximately 2%. In December 2020 it was announced that the UK would move to a personalised sexual behaviour risk assessment and scrap the deferral period specific to MSM.

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Blood Plasma Donation Policies Reflect Fears Born In An Earlier Epidemic: Hiv In The 1980s

Donor gives blood

Ian Morrison started to feel fatigued at the beginning of March. He had a cough and had trouble breathing, but the 46-year-old Philadelphian didnt suspect he had the coronavirus he didnt have a fever.

Morrison, who is better known as his drag persona Brittany Lynn, got worried when his fingers turned a bluish-purple. Thats when he rushed to the hospital.

There are barricades, like its post-apocalyptic, and they run at you with these hazmat suits, like in a horror movie, and I put my arms in the air like I was being arrested, is how Morrison described the scene from those early days of the pandemic.

He was given a mask and taken inside, where doctors conducted several exams, including a COVID-19 test. Soon after, Morrison was informed he had tested positive. When his story was featured in the Philadelphia Gay News, Morrison received several phone calls and messages from people suggesting that he donate his plasma.

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I would never wish COVID on anyone else. They kept saying, Youre such a young age which I thought was hysterical because Im in my late 40s but they were like, Youre strong and vital, and probably take good care of yourself. So if I had a horrible reaction and I was in good shape Morrison said, trailing off. To think they could turn my plasma into a cure, and all I have to do is donate blood, why wouldnt I do that?

What Happens If We Find A Problem With Your Blood

If you test positive for any of the diseases named above, you will be notified and your blood will not be used for transfusions. In addition, you may be asked to speak with one of our medical professionals at the blood bank and scheduled for a follow-up visit and further testing. Your consent for re-testing will be requested again at that time.

The names of donors with positive test results are kept in confidential files and will not be released without your written consent unless required by law. We will not notify you if your test results are negative and we do not find any problems or if the blood samples we collected were insufficient to provide enough blood to complete laboratory tests.

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Us Public Health Service Guidelines For Testing And Counselingblood And Plasma Donors For Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Antigen

ConsultantsCelso Bianco, M.D. Council of Community Blood Centers New York, NYMichael Busch, M.D., Ph.D. Irwin Memorial Blood Center SanFrancisco, CARichard Davey, M.D. American Red Cross Arlington, VASteven Kleinman, M.D. American Association of Blood Banks LosAngeles, CASusan Stramer, Ph.D. American Red Cross Atlanta, GA

The following CDC staff members prepared this report:Eve M. Lackritz, M.D.Robert S. Janssen, M.D.Helene D. Gayle, M.D., M.P.H.Division of HIV/AIDS PreventionNational Center for Prevention ServicesCharles A. Schable, M.S.Harold W. Jaffe, M.D.Division of AIDS, STD, and TB Laboratory ResearchNational Center for Infectious Diseasesin collaboration withJay S. Epstein, M.D.Paul A. Mied, Ph.D.Sharon J. Geyer, Ph.D.Office of Blood Research and ReviewCenter for Biologics Evaluation and ResearchFood and Drug Administration

U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines for Testing and CounselingBlood and Plasma Donors for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1Antigen

Summary

This report provides PHS guidelines for a) interpretingp24-antigen-assay results, b) counseling and follow-up of blooddonors who have positive or indeterminate p24-antigen-test results,and c) using p24-antigen testing in settings other than bloodbanks.

INTRODUCTION

P24-ANTIGEN-TEST ALGORITHM AND INTERPRETATION OF TEST RESULTS

DONOR COUNSELING, FOLLOW-UP, AND DEFERRAL

Donors Who Have Positive P24-Antigen-Test Results

IMPLICATIONS FOR OTHER HIV TEST SITES

About Blood Donation Rules

While all blood donations are screened for HIV before they enter the blood pool, all laboratory tests have a window period in which very recent HIV infections cannot be detected. For the most sensitive RNA assays used by blood collection agencies, this may be between 10 and 16 days. As a result, a small number of infected samples still make it through. Since men who have sex with men have much higher rates of HIV than the general population, regulators have generally asked MSM not to donate blood. Many gay and bisexual men feel that such restrictions are stigmatising and discriminatory.

In 2015, US policy changed from a lifetime ban on donations from any man who reported having sex with another man after 1977, to a 12-month deferral period. This means that men who last had sex with another man more than a year ago are eligible to donate blood, while men who have had sex more recently are not.

The policy remains controversial, with some advocates arguing that more detailed questions about sexual behaviour could be asked of all donors, that the deferral period is far longer than the window period of any test and that restrictions are counter-productive given the shortage of blood donors.

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You Also Cant Donate If You Have Any Piercings That Are Less Than 3 Months Old

You often cant donate blood for 3 months after getting a piercing, either.

Like tattoos, piercings can introduce foreign material and pathogens into your body. Hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV can be contracted through blood contaminated by a piercing.

Theres a catch to this rule, too.

Though many states regulate facilities that provide piercing services, there are specific rules regarding eligibility based on the equipment used.

If your piercing was performed with a single-use gun or needle at a state-regulated facility, you should be able to donate blood.

If the gun was reusable or youre not absolutely sure that it was single-use you shouldnt give any blood until 3 months have passed.

Conditions that affect your blood in some way may make you ineligible to donate blood.

Blood Screening In The United States

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration , through the Center for Biologics and Research , is responsible for ensuring the safety of the roughly 19 million units of whole blood donated in the United States each year.

To keep the blood supply safe, the FDA has established regulations to screen donors before a donation and to screen donated blood after it has been received by blood banks. To help with this, an extensive questionnaire is given to donors to collect information about their medical history and any risk factors that may exclude them from donating.

Blood received from donors then undergoes routine screening for the following blood-transmitted infections:

• Hepatitis B
• Zika virus

Any donated blood is quarantined until it is tested and shown to be free of infection.

Due to advanced blood screening practices, the risk of the accidental transmission of hepatitis B and C from contaminated blood is less than one in 500,000 and one in two million transfused units, respectively.

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Hesitations Toward Blood Donation

Although 37% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood, less than 5% do so annually, according to a 2012 study published in the journal Transfusion. Among the commonly cited reasons why people avoid donating is the presumption that they are “medically disqualified” to donate.

Many of these attitudes stem back to the 1970s and 1980s when reports of infection among hemophiliacs given tainted blood fueled fears among donors and recipients alike. During those years, no less than 6,000 hemophiliacs in the United States became infected with HIV, hepatitis, or both.

Although doubts about the safety of the U.S. blood supply have largely subsided due to advances in blood screening, there are some who avoid donating because it may reveal that they havean infection like HIV or hepatitis.

If you have hepatitis and have a type that does not restrict you from donating, it is worth considering given the public need. If you think you might have hepatitiseither due to the presence of symptoms or because of a known exposurebut are fearful of donating because it may confirm your concern, know that the sooner hepatitis is identified, the more sooner you can access treatment that can keep you well and healthy for many years.

How Do I Know If The Blood Transfusion/transplant Im Receiving Is Safe

In most cases, its fine to assume the blood product you are receiving is safe. But if you are worried, it is your right to ask the healthcare professional whether it has been tested for HIV or not.

Blood donors are asked a set of standard questions just before donating blood to help determine if they are in good health or if they have been at risk of HIV infection in the past.

Some groups of people who are considered more statistically at risk of HIV infection are not eligible to donate blood products in some countries – either for set time periods or for life. These groups include:

• Men who have sex with men
• Sex workers
• People who inject drugs

If you fall into one of these groups of people, and you want to donate blood, talk to your healthcare professional who can advise you on whether its safe and legal to donate blood or not.

Other activities may also require you to postpone your blood donation, such as having a tattoo or body piercing or if you are living with a certain health condition.

If you want to know more about donor eligibility, check the guidelines in your country as they are different all over the world.

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Blood Donation Eligibility Basic Requirements

Before we get too deep into giving blood restrictions, lets cover a few requirements that dont have anything to do with your health. In order to donate blood, you must:

• Be at least 17 years old. In some states, you can give blood at 16 years-of-age with parental consent.
• Weight at least 110 lbs. The weight limit is enforced because the amount of blood in your body is roughly proportional to your weight the bodies of individuals who weigh less than 110 lbs. may not respond well to the standard amount of blood drawn during donations.

Can I Donate Blood If I Am Hiv Positive

Posted in Advocacy and Medical Care & Treatment on December 3rd, 2013

No. Before giving blood you must fill out a questionnaire that is designed to assess whether you are, have been, or could be at risk of a blood borne disease, including HIV. This questionnaire operates as a statutory declaration and you must sign it to verify the accuracy of the information you have given. Penalties apply if you do not answer the questionnaire truthfully.

Source: HIV/AIDS Legal Centre, Sydney

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Can Hiv Be Transmitted Through Blood Transfusions

Yes but this is very rare. In the unlikely event that a person who is HIV-positive donates blood products that are not tested, the person who receives the blood product is likely to develop an HIV infection too.

If youre thinking about donating blood but are not sure about your HIV status, you can request an HIV test in advance of donating at your local clinic.

In order to prevent this, international health regulations require all blood products, such as organs or tissues, to be screened for a number of viral or bacterial contaminations before they are used.

During the screening process any blood products which contain HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or syphilis will be disposed of.

This means that the transmission of HIV through blood products is very rare, but examples have occurred in some low-income countries which lack the equipment to test all blood.

Report A Problem With Fda

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Symptoms And Signs Of Herpes

Herpes simplex virus has two types:

HSV-1 usually produces oral herpes, affecting the skin surrounding the mouth. It may, in some instances, affect the skin surrounding the genitals.

HSV-2 usually produces genital herpes affecting the skin surrounding the anus and the genitals. It may, in some instances, affect the skin surrounding the mouth.

When symptoms of herpes occur around the mouth, lips, and throat, its called oral herpes. The symptoms of oral herpes are:

• Symptoms resembling flu such as headache and swelling of lymph nodes
• Swelling, redness, itching or pain at the site of the eruption of blisters
• Formation of fluid-filled, painful blisters beneath the nose or on the lips
• Fever blisters or cold sores around or on the mouth

When symptoms of herpes occur around the genitals, its called genital herpes. The symptoms of genital herpes are:

Symptoms resembling flu-like illness such as swollen glands, headache, chills, and fever:

• A tingling or burning sensation at the site of the eruption of blisters
• Itching and pain around the genitals
• Blisters or red bumps that may ooze on the genitals
• Lower back or leg pain
• Burning and painful urination

Both HPV and herpes can remain dormant in the body, which is when the infection remains in the body without producing any symptoms.

Both herpes and HPV are transmitted through contact with an infected persons skin. This may occur during sexual activity such as having oral, vaginal or anal sex. You can also get HSV by:

Questions About Uk Visits And Nvcjd Information

Why are good donors being deferred because they have visited the U.K.?

Regulations enforced by FDA require that as part of the suitability criteria, a donor be free from any disease transmissible by blood transfusion, in so far as can be determined by health history and medical examination.

FDA periodically issues guidance providing recommendations to decrease the potential for transmission of infectious disease when new information or testing methodology becomes available. In August, 1999, FDA issued guidance for Industry entitled, “Revised Precautionary Measures to Reduce the Possible Risk of Transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and New Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease by Blood and Blood Products”. After reviewing the comments received, FDA further revised the guidance on November 23, 1999. A copy of the most recent revised guidance titled: Guidance for Industry Revised Preventive Measures to Reduce the Possible Risk of Transmission of CJD and Variant CJD by Blood and Blood Products is available.

The guidance states that, “FDA believes that donors who have resided in the United Kingdom may be at risk for exposure to nvCJD. As a precaution, FDA recommends that donors who have spent six months or more cumulatively in the United Kingdom from 1980 through 1996 be indefinitely deferred.”

How many people have died as a result of nvCJD?

Where can I obtain more epidemiological information or statistics regarding nvCJD?

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