Infection, acute - Whole Blood and Components

Essential information

Definition/s

Acute: lasting for a limited duration only, with no long lasting carrier stage

Systemic: any medicine taken by mouth, injection or suppository. It does not include local skin or nail treatments, or drops or creams used in the eye, ear or nose.

Obligatory

See: is there is a specific entry for the condition you are concerned about?

Must not donate if:

  1. Infected.
  2. Less than two weeks from recovery.
  3. Less than seven days from completing systemic antibiotic, anti-fungal or antiviral treatment.

Contact with:

See Infectious Diseases, contact with or Non-contagious diseases, contact with

Discretionary

Cold sores, genital herpes and common upper respiratory tract infections such as colds and sore throats but not influenza, if recovering, accept.

Supporting information

See if relevant
Additional information

Many infections can be spread by donated material. It is important that the donor does not pose a risk of giving an infection to a recipient. Waiting two weeks from when the infection is better and seven days from completing systemic antibiotic, anti-fungal or antiviral treatment makes it much less likely that there will still be a risk of the infection being passed on.

There is no evidence that cold sores, genital herpes and common upper respiratory infections such as colds and sore throats can be passed on by transfusion but it is still necessary to wait until any such infection is obviously getting better before allowing anyone to donate.

In some situations, although the infection may not be transmissible by donation, there is a duty of care to prevent infection passing to other donors or staff, e.g. an infestation of head lice.

Reason for change:
Definitions of 'Acute' and 'Systemic' have been added. A reference to 'contact with' has been added under 'Obligatory'. The links in 'See if Relevant' have been extended.
Version details:

WB-DSG Edition 203 Release 01 (01 June 2010)