Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Can You Give Blood With Herpes

When Cant You Donate Blood

VERIFY: Yes, vaccinated people can give blood without issues

The American Red Crosswarns against donating blood if you have done any of the following in the past three months:

  • Worked as a sex worker
  • Taken Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis or Truvada for preventing HIV
  • Had sex with someone who has HIV, HTLV, or Hepatitis B or C
  • Injected recreational drugs or had sex with someone who injected drugs not prescribed by a doctor

People who do the above are at a higher risk of contracting an STD or other diseases that make blood unsuitable for transfusions. You also shouldnt donate blood if you weigh less than 110 pounds. If you give blood while weighing less than 110 pounds, your weight may drop too quickly and trigger health complications.

People who have the following conditions should also not give blood:

  • Hemochromatosis a hereditary disorder that causes iron salts to accumulate in the tissues, leading to liver damage, diabetes mellitus, and other issues
  • Leukemia, lymphoma, or Hodgkins disease in the past
  • A dura mater transplant
  • A Zika infection in the last four months
  • Ebola at any time in your life
  • Hepatitis B or C or jaundice without an identified cause
  • A trip to a place where malaria is widespread
  • A blood transfusion within the last year

If you have active tuberculosis or any other sickness, you shouldnt donate blood. Thats because donating blood weakens you, which can complicate your recovery. Only donate blood after fully recovering from any sickness you might have.

People on the following medications also cannot donate blood:

Accuracy By Test Type

Two blood tests are used to screen for herpes. To ensure that an initial positive result is correct, a second test using a different method of detection is used to confirm the results.

The first test is the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay . An ELISA looks for immune proteins, called antibodies, that are produced by the immune system in response to the HSV. HSV antibodies are present even when there are no symptoms.

If the ELISA result is positive, your healthcare provider may administer a Western blot assay. This second test looks for proteins on the surface of the virus, called antigens, which serve as the virus’ “ID tag.” HSV antibodies produced in response to these antigens help the immune system target its attack.

According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the accuracy of the two blood used to diagnose herpes breaks down as follows:

Test
Over 99% Over 99%

Due to its high level of sensitivity and specificity, the Western blot is considered the gold standard of herpes blood testing.

With that said, the accuracy of the tests can be affected by the timing of the tests. For an ELISA to return an accurate result, the immune system needs to produce enough antibodies to reach detectable levels.

Testing too early during the so-called window period can end up causing a false-negative result .

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.

Don’t Miss: What To Use For Herpes Outbreak

Complications Of Herpes Simplex

Although genital herpes is not serious, facial herpes simplex can sometimes have serious complications see links below.

Rare complications of facial cold sores are:

  • Bells palsy is a temporary partial paralysis of one side of the face that usually gets better in a few weeks. It can happen when the nerve in the face is affected by cold sores. This causes loss of taste, drooping features and unresponsive facial muscles. Typically this is only one side of the face. Bells palsy usually resolves in a few weeks though it can last longer. www.bellspalsy.org.uk can give you more information.
  • Very rarely, a facial infection can reactivate inside the eye. This is called ophthalmic herpes simplex or herpes keratitis, dentritis or uveititis. It should be referred to a specialist eye doctor: if left untreated it may damage sight. The RNIB has more information.
  • Extremely rarely, a facial infection can reactivate in the brain. This is called encephalitis. If untreated, it may leave damage. www.encephalitis.info is a specialist charity for people with encephalitis.

What Are The Different Types Of Blood Transfusion

Can You Donate Blood if You Have Herpes?

Blood transfusions can be given through different methods.

These include:

  • Intravenous This method involves injecting fluid into the bloodstream using a needle.
  • Intramuscular This method involves injecting fluids into muscle tissue.
  • Subcutaneous This method involves injecting the fluids under the skin.
  • Arterial This method involves inserting a catheter into an artery.
  • Venous This method involves inserting catheters into veins.
  • Nasal This method involves inserting tubes into nasal cavities.
  • Oral This method involves inserting needles into the mouth.

Recommended Reading: What Causes Herpes To Flare Up

How Do I Know If I Have Genital Herpes

Most people with genital herpes have no symptoms or have very mild symptoms. Mild symptoms may go unnoticed or be mistaken for other skin conditions like a pimple or ingrown hair. Because of this, most people do not know they have a herpes infection.

Herpes sores usually appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals, rectum or mouth. This is known as having an outbreak. The blisters break and leave painful sores that may take a week or more to heal. Flu-like symptoms also may occur during the first outbreak.

People who experience an initial outbreak of herpes can have repeated outbreaks, especially if they have HSV-2. However, repeat outbreaks are usually shorter and less severe than the first outbreak. Although genital herpes is a lifelong infection, the number of outbreaks may decrease over time.

Ask a healthcare provider to examine you if:

  • You notice any symptoms or
  • Your partner has an STD or symptoms of an STD.

STD symptoms can include an unusual sore, a smelly genital discharge, burning when peeing, or bleeding between periods .

Plasma Donor Eligibility Requirements

The plasma center that you donate to will have different requirements. To donate plasma if you have herpes, the donor should meet all of the FDA eligibility requirements for donating plasma and be in good general health. The donation center may also require a negative response to a questionnaire about symptoms and behaviors related to blood-borne infections such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

Here are other eligibility requirements:

Age
Don’t have a cold, flu, fever, cough, diarrhea, vomiting, or infections in the past three days.

Don’t Miss: How Long Does Genital Herpes Last With Medication

When Will I Be Eligible To Donate

  • If you have shown symptoms of Covid-19 you must not donate for at least seven days after final symptoms have ceased.
  • The only exception to this is if you have had a negative PCR test, in which case you can give as soon as your symptoms have ceased.
  • If you have not had symptoms but have had a positive test you must not donate until 7 days after your last positive test

If you have had Covid-19 you must be fully recovered before giving blood. This means you must have returned to normal activities, have no ongoing Covid-19 symptoms and are not undergoing tests or follow up. If you develop symptoms of Covid-19 after donating, please contact us on 0345 90 90 999.

How Test Accuracy Is Measure

VERIFY: Can someone who received the COVID-19 vaccine donate blood? | KVUE

The accuracy of all medical tests, including herpes tests, is measured based on two values: sensitivity and specificity.

Sensitivityis how often a test correctly identifies someone with a disease. A test that is 90% sensitive will correctly identify 90 people out of 100 who have the disease. Ten people will have a false-negative result.

Specificity, on the other hand, refers to a test’s ability to correctly identify someone who doesn’t have the disease. If a test is 90% specific, that means that 90 people out of 100 will be correctly diagnosed as not having a disease and that 10 people will have a false-positive result.

The higher the sensitivity and specificity, the lower the chances of a false result.

Recommended Reading: How Many People Have Herpes 2

How Can You Tell Whether Or Not You Are Infected With A Virus

There are several ways to test for viruses such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, and others.

There are two types of tests available: antibody testing and antigen testing. Antibody testing detects antibodies produced by the immune system to fight foreign invaders. These tests include ELISA , Western Blotting, and Immunofluorescence.

Antigen testing detects the presence of viral antigens in bodily fluids such as saliva, urine, semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, tears, and breast milk. This type of test includes fluorescent antibody staining, radioimmunoassay, and enzyme immunoassay.

Pregnancy Birth And Miscarriage

You cannot donate blood if you are pregnant. After giving birth, you must wait at least six months before donating blood.

Also, after a miscarriage, you must wait at least six months before donating blood.

An early miscarriage does not prevent blood donation.

Donating blood once in early pregnancy does not constitute a risk, and blood donation does not increase the risk of miscarriage. However, women attempting to become pregnant are advised to avoid blood donation, since those hoping to become pregnant should keep up a good haemoglobin level.

Recommended Reading: What Does Herpes Do To Your Body Long Term

Where Can I Give Blood

If you would like to give blood, to be taken to the Give Blood site and find a session in your area.

*Viremia is the presence of viruses in the bloodstream**Gingivostomatitis is an infection of the mouth and gums that children often develop after being exposed to the HSV-1 virus for the first time.

Can You Donate Blood If You Have Herpes

Unique Can You Give Blood if You Have Hsv

by BenPublished on February 1, 2019Updated on June 15, 2020

Can you donate blood if you have herpes or another STD? With January being national blood donor month, this question is undoubtedly on the minds of many. Whether you have herpes or another STD, or you are STD free, you might be curious about restrictions for donating blood as they relate to a donors STD status.

When donating blood, most donation centers prefer that you be as healthy as possible, and that includes being free of many viral infections ranging from the common cold to HIV. But what about other common infections, such as herpes?

The important distinction between herpes and certain other STDs, especially when compared to a virus like HIV, is that herpes is not a virus that is present in the blood. Because herpes is only communicated through direct skin-to-skin contact, the blood of a patient infected with the herpes virus cannot pass herpes to another person through a blood transfusion. However, there are still some important restrictions and stipulations for people who have herpes symptoms when it comes to donating blood.

But what about other STDs? Typically, in addition to herpes, you can donate blood if you have chlamydia or HPV, are feeling healthy and meet all other eligibility requirements.

Read Also: How Genital Herpes Look Like

What Happens If I Dont Receive Treatment

Genital herpes can cause painful genital sores and can be severe in people with suppressed immune systems.

If you touch your sores or fluids from the sores, you may transfer herpes to another body part like your eyes. Do not touch the sores or fluids to avoid spreading herpes to another part of your body. If you do touch the sores or fluids, quickly wash your hands thoroughly to help avoid spreading the infection.

If you are pregnant, there can be problems for you and your unborn fetus, or newborn baby. See Im pregnant. How could genital herpes affect my baby? for information about this.

Q Is Herpes Contracted By Semen Blood

A. Herpes is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. When a herpes sore comes in contact with a break in the skin or mucous membranes of another person , herpes is transmitted. The break can be microscopic. Less commonly, herpes is transmitted when there are no visible symptoms but the area of skin where the sore normally appears is shedding the virus. Experts believe this occurs, on average, about two days a year in someone infected with herpes simplex virus.

Acyclovir pills are used to prevent outbreaks, or to reduce the length or severity of a herpes outbreak. Zovirax cream can be applied directly on herpes sores. The reason your outbreaks last only two or three days is that sores tend to heal more quickly when they are not on mucous membranes .

To avoid transmission of herpes you should prevent the sores from coming in contact with a partner’s genitals or your own mucous membranes or skin abrasions. Discuss the risks of asymptomatic transmission with your partner and let her decide whether a barrier is necessary when no symptoms are present. Also, make an appointment with a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases to confirm your diagnosis.

You May Like: Can You Get Herpes From Kissing

Your Good Health: Blood Donations Possible If You Have Herpes Simplex 1 Or 2

Dear Dr. Roach: If a person has been exposed to herpes 1 and 2, can that person be a blood donor? Could a person catch herpes by sitting on a toilet seat that has been used by an infected person? Are scientists working on a cure for herpes?

Anon.

There remains a stigma against people with genital herpes, which is almost always caused by herpes simplex virus type 2.

However, most people with genital herpes will not have major disruptions to their lives provided they take some precautions.

First off, a person with herpes simplex virus type 1 or HSV-2 certainly can donate blood.

Second, being exposed doesnt guarantee infection.

Third, blood testing is not perfect. Fourth, getting any kind of sexually transmitted infection from a toilet seat is very unlikely.

Herpes viruses have a very difficult time getting through intact skin, which is why most exposures come through mucus membranes, especially of the genitals and mouth.

There is a type of herpes in wrestlers, called herpes gladiatorum or mat herpes, and it can be transmitted from person to person through skin-to-skin contact, especially if the skin is raw or chafed.

Once a person has herpes of either variety, there is no cure.

The virus stays in the nerve cells. There is extensive work being done both on preventing transmission and curing existing infections, but herpes viruses are very good at escaping the immune system. This makes herpes difficult to treat.

J.E.

Genital Herpes Is Common Shouldnt Cdc Recommend Testing For Everyone

Why So Many Companies Want U.S. Blood

CDC recommends herpes testing for people who have genital symptoms to confirm if they have it. Testing allows a healthcare provider to talk with patients about what to expect in the future. This includes talking about medications that help with symptoms. Providers can also tell patients how to lower the risk of transmitting herpes to sex partner.

CDC does not recommend herpes testing for people without symptoms in most situations. This is because of the limits of a herpes blood test and the possibility of a wrong test result. The chances of wrong test results are higher for people who are at low risk of infection.

Blood tests might be useful if:

  • You have genital symptoms that could be related to herpes, or
  • You have a sex partner with genital herpes, or
  • Your provider found signs of herpes, but you still need a test to confirm it.

If you are sexually active, talk openly and honestly with your healthcare provider about what tests are right for you. These tips can help.

Don’t Miss: How Long Does It Take To Treat Herpes

How Is Genital Herpes Spread

  • A herpes sore
  • Saliva from a partner with an oral herpes infection
  • Genital fluids from a partner with a genital herpes infection
  • Skin in the oral area of a partner with oral herpes or
  • Skin in the genital area of a partner with genital herpes.

You also can get genital herpes from a sex partner who does not have a visible sore or is unaware of their infection. It is also possible to get genital herpes if you receive oral sex from a partner with oral herpes.

You will not get herpes from toilet seats, bedding, or swimming pools. You also will not get it from touching objects, such as silverware, soap, or towels.

If you have more questions about herpes, consider discussing your concerns with a healthcare provider.

Mole Removal And Wound Suture

Excision of a mole or nevus and wound suture prevent blood donation for a week. If a mole has been removed because of its suspicious nature, the results of the biopsy must be known before donating blood.

Would you like more information? Please call the free information number for blood donors on +358 800 0 5801 .

Recommended Reading: Is There Any Treatment For Herpes

You Must Never Give Blood If:

  • you are HIV positive or receiving treatment for HIV
  • you are HTLV positive
  • you are a Hepatitis B carrier
  • you are a Hepatitis C carrier
  • you have ever been treated for Syphilis
  • you have ever injected, or been injected with, drugs even a long time ago or only once. This applies to any illicit injected drug, including body-building drugs, chemsex drugs and tanning agents.
  • you have ever had sex with someone who has previously had a viral haemorrhagic fever

If you would like to discuss any of the above, do not hesitate to get in touch on 0345 90 90 999For more information, read:

If these issues affect you, please visit the Our Partners section of our site for contact details of organisations that may be able to help.

Popular Articles
Related news