You Got A Tattoo Or Piercing
These giving blood restrictions pop up on a lot of lists as being some of the more surprising reasons you might not be able to give blood. The concern behind tattoos, piercings, and even intravenous drug use, is that the instruments and needles used in these practices may spread hepatitis.
For tattoos, you wont be asked to defer your blood donation so long as you live in a state that regulates its tattoo facilities. If you dont live in a state that regulates these facilities then you should wait 3 months before donating blood.
For piercings, you wont be asked to defer your blood donation so long as the piercing was conducted using single-use equipment. If the piercing was made using reusable equipment then you will be asked to wait 3 months before donating.
If You Have Genital Herpes Can You Donate Blood
Before discussing whether you can donate blood when you have herpes, we need to answer the question: Can herpes be transmitted through blood donation?
Previously, blood collection facilities allowed herpes carriers to donate blood as long as they did not have an active infection. Thats because many believed that herpes could spread only during intercourse or via direct skin-to-skin contact.
However,recent studies suggest that herpes may spread via blood transfusions, regardless of whether the infected has an active infection. Since there isnt enough evidence to support this theory, many facilities still accept blood from herpes carriers.
Other Requirements To Donate
Again, herpes simplex is transmitted through direct physical contact, and not through blood transfer. So yes, you can still donate blood if you have herpes. For recurring outbreaks, consider waiting until the sores have dried up and healed. As long as you are feeling healthy and meet all other requirements, youre good to go.
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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
- 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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Can You Donate Kidney With Herpes
Can you donate kidney with herpes? Having herpes does not absolutely rule someone out for donation, but the disease should be well-suppressed at the time of donation.
What disqualifies you from being a kidney donor? As a general rule, you should be 18 years or older . You must also have normal kidney function . There are some medical conditions that could prevent you from being a living donor . These include having uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, HIV, hepatitis, or acute infections .
Can you donate organs if you have HSV? As long as youre not actively infected or the virus has left your body, you can donate blood. Keep in mind that if youve had herpes in the past, you still carry the virus even if you dont have symptoms.
Can HSV affect the kidneys? Following genital HSV infection, it is possible that the virus could reach the ureter and kidney along rich periureteric and perinephric autonomic nerve plexuses and remain latent there.
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Can You Donate Blood If You Have High Blood Pressure
You can donate blood, but it is highly recommended that your blood pressure is below 180/110.
In order to donate blood, you must have a hematocrit of at least 30%, a mean corpuscular volume greater than 100fl and not be receiving any medications or treatments. It should also be safe for the donor to eat while donating as this will typically reduce hemoglobin levels in the donors plasma by 0-1%. If you are eligible for donation and have high blood pressure monitor your condition closely until it meets all guidelines before donating again.
Is Herpes Simplex Related To Herpes Zoster
Herpes simplex and the varicella-zoster virus are related, but they arent the same. VZV causes chickenpox and shingles.
Like HSV-1 and HSV-2, shingles can cause a painful, blistering rash. The shingles rash usually shows up on the back, side, abdomen , neck and face. It is often only on half of your body, following the pattern of your nerves. See your healthcare provider if you have a new rash and suspect you may have shingles.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Herpes simplex is a virus. Once you have herpes, its a lifelong condition. A herpes infection can lead to outbreaks , but youll also have times when you have no symptoms. The main sign of herpes is sores that appear on the infected skin. Some people choose not to treat herpes, especially if symptoms are mild. Others take antiviral medications to reduce the severity and frequency of outbreaks.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 05/17/2022.
References
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Can I Donate Blood While On Valtrex
The current American Red Cross guidelines do not list Valtrex as a reason not to donate blood. A 2008 Chicago Tribune article said a person should wait 48 hours after taking antiviral medications to donate, but this is no longer reflected in the Red Cross guidelines. Antivirals include valacyclovir, acyclovir, or famciclovir.
Stress contributes to outbreak frequency. If youre feeling unusually stressed already, any additional stress on your body could have the potential to trigger a herpes outbreak.
High Blood Pressure Or High Cholesterol: Can I Donate
High Blood PressureAs long as your blood pressure is 180/100 or below at the time of donation and you are feeling well, you can donate. Medications for high blood pressure do not disqualify you from donating.
High CholesterolHigh cholesterol levels do not disqualify you from donating. You can also donate if take medication to control your cholesterol.
Oklahoma Blood Institute screens for both of these and notifies donors of their results.
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Can I Get Herpes Again After Treating It
Yes, you can get herpes again after treating it. If you have had an outbreak of herpes, you must take antiviral medications every day for two weeks. You must continue taking them even if the sores start healing. If you stop taking antiviral medication, you could get another outbreak. After you finish treatment, you should wait six months before having genital contact.
What Are The Dos And Donts Before Donating Blood
Have you explored the ins and out of giving blood restrictions, know youre eligible to donate, but not sure how to proceed with preparing to donate? There are several steps you can take to ensure that your donation goes smoothly. The American Red Cross provides a guide for first-time donors and a FAQ list. Complete Care has also created a handy guide for what to do before giving blood.
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What Is Blood Plasma
Blood includes red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma.
Plasma is the largest but often forgotten part of blood. It carries water, salts, enzymes, antibodies, and other proteins. This light yellow liquid acts as a carrier of blood components, hormones, nutrients, and proteins throughout the body. Besides, it also removes the cells waste products such as urea.
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Facts About Genital Herpes
1. Common but on the decline: Nationwide, at least 45 million people ages 12 and older or one out of five adolescents and adults have had genital herpes, a sexually transmitted disease caused by the herpes simplex viruses Type 1 or Type 2. Over the last decade, the percentage of Americans with genital herpes has decreased, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. Its more common in women than men .
2. Symptoms: Most people who have genital herpes dont know it because theyve never had any symptoms or dont recognize them. But often, when a person becomes infected for the first time, symptoms appear within 2 to 10 days. Early signs include a tingling feeling or itching in the genital area, or pain in the buttocks or down the leg. Blisters typically appear on or around the genitals or rectum. You can still infect a partner if sores arent visible.
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You Have Hepatitis B Hepatitis C Hiv/aids Or May Have Been Exposed To These Diseases Via Sexual Contact
Hepatitis B and C and HIV/AIDs are diseases that can be passed on via blood transfusion, and therefore individuals who suffer from these diseases are ineligible to donate blood. Unfortunately, these aforementioned diseases can be transmitted through sexual contact, so if you are not certain whether or not you may have contracted these diseases from previous sexual partners, consider deferring your donation until you are sure. All donated blood is screened for hepatitis B and C and HIV.
Sexually transmitted diseases and blood donation:
When it comes to blood donation, other STDs are often wrongly lumped into the same category as hepatitis B and C and HIV. In reality, the ARC has separate recommendations for STDs and venereal diseases.
- Gonorrhea and syphilis: You should still defer blood donation if you are not certain whether or not you may have contracted gonorrhea and syphilis. However, if you have contracted gonorrhea or syphilis, you will still donate blood so long as you complete your treatment of the disease and wait 3 full months after the treatment is completed.
- Chlamydia, HPV, and genital herpes: Individuals who suffer from chlamydia, HPV, or genital herpes are eligible to donate blood.
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What If Im Having An Outbreak
If youre feeling especially ill, either because of herpes symptoms or another illness, its best to wait.
The Australian Red Cross guidelines say not to donate blood during an active herpes outbreak. Their website advises to wait until any sores are gone. The area of infection must be clean and dry.
The site also says if youve come into sexual contact with someone who has active genital herpes, to wait two weeks before donating blood.
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Is It Possible To Prevent Getting A Cold Or Flu From Someone Who Has Herpes
NO, it is impossible to prevent getting a cold or flu from someone who has herpes. However, you can protect yourself against other illnesses.
Here are some tips:
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Cover your mouth and nose with tissue paper when coughing or sneezing.
- Stay home if you feel ill.
- Keep your immune system strong by eating healthy foods.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Exercise regularly.
Herpes simplex type 1 is the most common form of herpes in humans and is responsible for 90% of all cases.
Herpes simplex type 2 , less common than HSV-1, causes about 10% of all cases. Both types of herpes cause painful sores at the initial infection site.
A person with herpes will always carry this virus in their body. This virus stays dormant within nerve cells. When triggered, the virus becomes active again and produces new viruses.
The only way to get rid of herpes is to treat the virus itself. There is no cure for herpes.
There Are Two Common Blood Tests Used To Identify Herpes And Theyre Often Misleading
I had a patient once who underwent this test, which was positive, and was told she has herpes, which to her was devastating and life-altering, Friedman says. She burst into tears when I explained the significance or lack thereof with this test, which is very misleading. There are two common blood tests used to identify herpes: IgG and IgM. The IgM test is still used by some doctors even though it has been denounced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . According to the American Sexual Health Association , IgM tests can lead to deceptive results, as well as false assumptions about how and when a person acquired HSV.
And thats not all: IgM tests fail to accurately distinguish between HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies, leading them to provide false-positive results for HSV-2. In other words, if youve been exposed to oral herpes , results of the IgM test could lead you to believe youre positive for genital herpes, when in fact you simply have antibodies against HSV-1.
IgG tests, on the other hand, are more accurate, but arent without their own issues. For instance, ASHA says that while an IgG test can distinguish between HSV-1 and HSV-2, the problem is that the time it takes for IgG antibodies to reach a detectable level varies from person to person. This means that even with accurate results, someone could get a false-negative if they have the test administered too soon after contracting the virus .
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About Internal Herpes Outbreaks
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Sometimes symptoms dont occur for years. There are still ways to be cautious. Regular check-ups can help to lessen the chances of missing a herpes infection.
If visually obvious symptoms of herpes sometimes appear internally, it can delay diagnosis.
To diagnose an actual blister accurately, physicians must find and sample them within one to two days, so dont wait. Visual diagnoses are simply not adequate.
Blood testing is also available to check for antibodies to HSV.
If youre at a high risk, get tested. Please read our guide on the right time to get tested. Different STDs take certain amount of time after getting them to show up on a test result. The kinds of things that mean its time to get tested could be a change of sexual partners, getting or planning to become pregnant, or having new symptoms.
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Can You Donate Plasma If You Have Herpes
Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the herpes simplex virus. It can affect any part of your body, but it is most commonly found on the genitals and mouth. Can you donate plasma if you have herpes? Well, if you have herpes and are looking for ways to make money through plasma donation, DoNotPay can help.
DoNotPay is an AI-powered chatbot that helps users fight a variety of everyday legal disputes. If you have herpes and want to make some extra cash, you don’t have to worry DoNotPay can help you donate plasma. The chatbot will easily help you find donation centers near you that accept those with herpes. This allows you to make some extra money while helping others in an easy and fast process.
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If You Get A Positive Result Dont Panic It Really Doesnt Mean Much
All of this is to say that unless you have symptoms consistent with the herpes virus, why put yourself through the emotional turmoil of getting a blood test that may or may not give you legit results? As Hutcherson notes, if you do get a blood test and it comes back positive but youre asymptomatic, what does that mean for you if you have nothing to treat? For many, due to the high rate of stigma still surrounding herpes, it can mean feelings of self-contempt, humiliation, and distress, all of which could be avoided if you arent experiencing any symptoms.
To recap, while there are some tests for herpes that can prove correct, none are 100 percent perfect, and blood tests are particularly problematic since they can produce false positives and negatives. We also know that the majority of the population has some form of herpes, so IMO its a mystery as to why were still making a big deal out of it. No one likes blisters or sores, but neither does anyone love having acne, a widespread condition without the same level of attached shame.
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Is Herpes Simplex Ever Serious
Genital herpes can cause severe discomfort and a flu-like illness.
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