LymeNet Flash: donating blood?

This is topic donating blood? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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https://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/1/51523

Posted by starrant (Member # 10149) on :

This may sound like a stupid question, but is it safe to donate blood if you have lyme disease?

Can lyme disease be given to someone through a blood transfusion?

Posted by Lisianthus (Member # 6631) on :

YES it CAN!

Do NOT donate blood.

They don't even test the blood supply for lyme or any co-infections. But if you told them you have lyme they will not take your blood.

Lisi

Posted by von (Member # 8333) on :

Starrant,

No question is dumb. I wish more people were aware....... so share this with a few.

Survival of Borrelia Burgdorferi in Blood Products

American Red Cross Blood Services, Farmington, Connecticut.

`The organism was shown to survive in RBCs (4 degrees C) and FFP (below -18 degrees C) for 45 days ....'

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2773025&dopt=Abstract

Von

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

Ditto! Scary, isn't it!?

and no, there is no dumb question here!

Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :

please do a search on this one, search is at top under post reply.....

donating blood
MEDICAL
TOPIC LINE
ANY DATE ... make sure you EDITED MY PROFILE TO LONGEST PERIOD OF TIME vs. default time

leave membership no. blank unless you know melanie reber's member no!!, hit send

please post her link in your link so others can benefit from all the wonderful, informative responses we've given.

DO NOT DONATE: BLOOD, ORGANS, MARROW, TISSUE, EYES !

Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :

(copying from General)

Good morning Starrant,

Hoping this post will help to answer a few of your questions.

My best,
melanie

Thinking of being a Blood or Organ Donor: http://flash.lymenet.org/scripts/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=021835

Posted by robi (Member # 5547) on :

PLese do not donate ........... reagrdless of whether they will take your blood or not. If you ever had LYme it can be dormant in your system

NO on DONATING FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

Posted by Michelle M (Member # 7200) on :

Hi Starrant. I agree - there's no such thing as a stupid question!

This is an area where people with known or suspected lyme have to simply make their own rule not to donate. That's because some agencies incredibly claim if you've been "cured" for a year, it's OK.

Well, it's NOT okay. Too risky.

Another thing to consider is the possibility of coinfections. Often they're undiscovered as people may test negative but in fact have them. Babesia, for example, has been blamed for deaths after transfusion. I'm thinking of the case of a newborn here.

I didn't even know I had babesia for my first year in lyme treatment.

Just another reason to give the blood bank a WIDE BERTH!

Good for you for being responsible!

Michelle

Posted by imanurse (Member # 7022) on :

Just in case you didn't see this already, read this:

http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=051539