What is wrong with these people.
http://www.thnt.com/thnt/story/0,21282,1008269,00.html

*The emails to let your voice be heard.
http://www.bloodnj.org/contact_us.htm
 

**This is what I wrote. I sent it to Brenda Fulmer on the list of contacts.

 

What a freakin world and right in NJ
I just emailed the brain dead.

[This message has been edited by treepatrol (edited 22 July 2004).]
 

This is scary! It's bad enough that many who probably have Lyme Disease and don't know it are donating, but to actively recruit these people is sooo irresponsible. Anyone have a clue?
 

Talk about scary and ignorant! My hair is standing on end. See below:

Curr Opin Hematol. 2003 Nov;10(6):405-11.

Risk and prevention of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis and other tick-borne diseases.

Cable RG, Leiby DA.

American Red Cross, Connecticut Blood Services, Farmington, and University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06032, USA. [email protected]

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Tick-borne diseases have increasingly been recognized in the United States as public health problems. The importance of tick-borne diseases has been accelerated by increases in animal populations, as well as increased human recreation in wooded environments that are conducive to tick bites. Babesiosis, usually caused by the intraerythrocytic parasite, Babesia microti and transmitted by the same tick as Lyme disease, has important transfusion implications. Although Lyme disease has not been reported from blood transfusion, newly identified tick-borne diseases such as ehrlichiosis raise additional questions about the role of the tick in transfusion-transmitted diseases. RECENT FINDINGS: The risk of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis is higher than usually appreciated and in endemic areas represents a major threat to the blood supply. Furthermore, the geographic range of B. microti is expanding, other Babesia spp. have been implicated in transfusion transmission in the western United States, and the movement of blood donors and donated blood components may result in the appearance of transfusion babesiosis in areas less familiar with these parasites. Consequently, a higher degree of clinical suspicion will allow early recognition and treatment of this important transfusion complication. SUMMARY: In endemic areas transfusion-transmitted babesiosis is more prevalent than usually believed. The extension of the geographic range of various Babesia spp. and the movement of donors and blood products around the United States has resulted in the risk extending to non-endemic areas. Clinicians should maintain a high degree of clinical suspicion for transfusion-transmitted babesiosis.

PMID: 14564169 [PubMed - in process]

[This message has been edited by lou (edited 22 July 2004).]
 

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Thanks for posting this!!!

Roseamry
 

I contacted the blood bank and the newspaper. I also contacted the local blood bank to see if they too recurit Lyme patients.

I think we all need to pounce on this and encourage everyone we know to do the same!

SC
 

SC, what did your local Blood Bank say?

I planned to call our local Red Cross Chapter, but had too many interruptions this afternoon.
Will call tomorrow & see what they say.

I agree! We all need to pounce on this...
...with BOTH FEET.
 

Thank you for your interest in the policies of the Blood Center of New Jersey.

Information on an upcoming blood drive published in an article in the Home News and Tribune on July 21st gave erroneous information about our donor health guidelines, including Lyme disease. The Blood Center of New Jersey is both federally and state regulated and follows only approved methods of donor acceptance, as defined by the Food and Drug Administration guidances.

The protocol for accepting donors implicated to have Lyme Disease follows the FDA criteria defined below:

Lyme Disease usually occurs 2 weeks after a tick bite. Defer if febrile or symptomatic. Typical symptoms may include flu-like symptoms, skin rash, and / or joint pain. Accept 12 months after finish of therapy and asymptomatic.
Accept with positive antibody if above criteria are met.

The Home News and Tribune will be publishing a correction in the July 22nd edition.

Hope this clears up your concerns.

Thomas Domenico, PhD
Director, Quality Assurance
The Blood Center of New Jersey

Unless I am wrong, we need to address the FDA about changing their guidelines.
 

I haven't heard back from the local blood bank yet but I will let you know what they have to say.

sc
 

If they only knew what most of us know....

That is crazy.....got to do more testing!!

But, a person that may even admit to having/had Lyme in the initial screening part may make it to the physical and if they are like MOST of us on this board, will be turned away.
At least I hope they would.

Maybe the replies to the ad will not fall on deaf ears.

Amanda
 

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This is insane!!!

[This message has been edited by KBear (edited 23 July 2004).]
 

I have just emailed both the paper and the bllod clinic with this information.

I do hope they will correct this very soon!!!
-----------------------------

This request for donations from medicated and/or patients with Lyme disease is EXTREMELY frightening and irresponsible.

I do hope you will re-consider.
Please see the below information...

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Thinking of being a Blood or Organ Donor: http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/021835.html


***Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi in Host Tissues & Fluids
Bladder
Blood
Bone
Brain
Breast milk
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Ear
Eye
Heart
Kidney
Ligament
Liver
Lung
Lymph nodes
Muscle
Nerve
Ovary/Testis
Plasma
Skin
Spinal cord
Spleen
Synovial (joint) fluid
Synovial (joint) membrane
Urine
Uterus http://www.lymeinfo.net/LDSymptoms.pdf


*** Curr Opin Hematol. 2003 Nov;10(6):405-11.
Risk and prevention of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis and other tick-borne diseases.
Cable RG, Leiby DA.
American Red Cross, Connecticut Blood Services, Farmington, and University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06032, USA. [email protected]

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Tick-borne diseases have increasingly been recognized in the United States as public health problems.
The importance of tick-borne diseases has been accelerated by increases in animal populations, as well as increased human recreation in wooded environments that are conducive to tick bites.
Babesiosis, usually caused by the intraerythrocytic parasite, Babesia microti and transmitted by the same tick as Lyme disease, has important transfusion implications.
Although Lyme disease has not been reported from blood transfusion, newly identified tick-borne diseases such as ehrlichiosis raise additional questions about the role of the tick in transfusion-transmitted diseases.
RECENT FINDINGS: The risk of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis is higher than usually appreciated and in endemic areas represents a major threat to the blood supply.
Furthermore, the geographic range of B. microti is expanding, other Babesia spp. have been implicated in transfusion transmission in the western United States, and the movement of blood donors and donated blood components may result in the appearance of transfusion babesiosis in areas less familiar with these parasites.
Consequently, a higher degree of clinical suspicion will allow early recognition and treatment of this important transfusion complication.
SUMMARY: In endemic areas transfusion-transmitted babesiosis is more prevalent than usually believed. The extension of the geographic range of various Babesia spp. and the movement of donors and blood products around the United States has resulted in the risk extending to non-endemic areas.
Clinicians should maintain a high degree of clinical suspicion for transfusion-transmitted babesiosis.
PMID: 14564169 [PubMed - in process]

***Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi Antigen in Urine from Patients with Lyme Borreliosis: http://www.igenex.com/luatart.htm
***``Viable spirochetes were recovered from RBCs inoculated with 10(6) organisms per mL, after
refrigeration for as long as 6 weeks.
It is concluded that B. burgdorferi may survive storage under blood
banking conditions and that transfusion-related Lyme disease is theoretically possible.''
Survival of Borrelia burgdorferi in human blood stored under blood banking conditions.
Nadelman RB; Sherer C; Mack L; Pavia CS; Wormser GP Transfusion, 30(4):298-301. 1990. http://www.lymeinfo.net/LDSupplement.pdf

***Lyme disease "would permanently disqualify an individual as a... blood donor"
UCSF Blood Centers, Donation Guidelines http://pangloss.ucsfmedicalcenter.org/bloodcenters/bcdonationpage.htm

***Tick-Borne Agents and Transfusion Risk http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol4no3/chambrln.htm

Sincerely,
Melanie A. Reber
Colorado Support System
[email protected]

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C O L O R A D O * S U P P O R T * S Y S T E M
[email protected]
 

And I sent it as a feed back to the article as well, so I'm sure someone will respond

Here is the letter:

Hello,

I just read the article titled "Spotswood library plans blood drive" in the Home News Tribune 7/21/04. In this article it states "Those with high cholesterol, diabetes and Lyme disease are also welcome."

I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease 4 years ago, and my 2 children have recently been diagnosed with Lyme Disease as well. Lyme Disease is a very serious illness and I have seen first hand the debilitating effects of this disease. I am disappointed and angered that this article "invites" people with Lyme Disease to donate blood.

As Lyme Disease can be transmitted to a patient via a blood transfusion, I think it is very irresponsible of this article to "welcome" Lyme Disease patients to donate blood. When I was first diagnosed with Lyme Disease, I contacted my local Red Cross and was told that as I have Chronic Lyme Disease, I will never be able to donate blood.

Unfortunately, some Lyme Disease patients may not be aware of this and in good faith, will donate their Lyme Disease contaminated blood to the Spotswood library blood drive, and therefore possibly and unwillingly infect another person with this potentially fatal disease.

I have seen too many people suffer the effects of this disease and I am asking you to please write a follow up to this article, addressing the potential dangers of people who have Lyme Disease donating blood. At the very least, a person receiving the gift of possible Lyme contaminated blood, should be aware of the risks involved!

Below are two articles from the Red Cross with their guidelines for donating blood. As you can see, there are restrictions for people who have Lyme Disease donating blood. And anyone having Chronic Lyme can not donate blood.

American Red Cross Blood Services - New England Region
Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont

http://newenglandblood.org/faq.htm#faq5

I Had Lyme Disease. Can I Donate?

Lyme Disease is caused by a microorganism that can cause chronic infection. Because the microorganism is present in the blood, it could be transmitted to a patient through transfusion. If a person has Chronic Lyme Disease, we would not accept him or her as a donor. Donors, however, who had treatment that cleared the infection may donate after one year without symptoms.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

American Red Cross, http://www.redcross.org/static/file_cont2355_lang0_974.jpg

BLOOD DONATION ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

Lyme disease

If this is a chronic condition you cannot donate. If you were treated with antibiotics and completely recovered, you can donate 12 months after the last dose of antibiotics was taken.

Thank you for your time,

~Missy

[This message has been edited by lymebrat (edited 24 July 2004).]
 

I've always been grateful that the blood bank damaged a nerve in my arm 25 yrs ago when I donated blood. That kept me from donating anymore blood for the past 25 yrs when I didn't know I had lyme and babs!

------------------
oops!
Lymetutu

 

Here were are fighting to be discriminated against at the Red Cross and gay groups are saying to be discriminated against is wrong (in blood donation).
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,115376,00.html

Please be assured the newspaper article encouraging people with Lyme Disease
was a mistake. Please see the message below that was sent to Pat Smith, the
President of the Lyme Disease Association, regarding blood banking practices
in the US.

Dear Ms. Smith,

I am responding to your inquiry for specifics on Lyme Disease deferral for
blood donations. As you well know, Lyme disease is a tick-borne
transmittable infection of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative spirochete.
The FDA does not provide specific guidance for Lyme disease but it does for
for Syphilis, another spirochete infection. In this Syphilis guidance they
recommend a one year deferral following successful treatment. This can be
referenced on the FDA website at
.

As there is no specific guidance, the FDA allows blood centers to determine
their own policy for donors with a history of Lyme disease. At the Blood
Center of New Jersey, our policy mimics that of the Armed Forces Blood
Services Collection program where blood donors are deferred for one year
after successful treatment. The donor must be asymptomatic for the disease
at the end of that period. The ASBPO policy can be referenced at
.doc>.

The American Association of Blood Banks does not have a particular standard
with regard to Lyme disease in their 22nd edition of Standards for Blood
Banks and Transfusion Services. It does however reference Lyme disease in
their 14th edition of the Technical Manual pg. 641. Within that reference,
it is indicated that there have been no reported cases of transfusion
transmitted Lyme's disease. They also reference a report of two cases
where the blood donor became ill shortly after donation, the recipients did
not develop infection (Tick-Borne Infections/ Blood Safety and Surveillance,
Cable R, et al, NY: Marcel Dekker, 2001 pp399-422). The AABB suggestion is
that "Potential donors who report a history of Lyme Disease should be
completely asymptomatic and should have completed a full course of
antibiotic therapy before being permitted to donate."

The Blood Center of New Jersey is committed to providing safe blood and
following all standards and regulations as defined by the FDA, AABB and NJ
Department of Health. In accordance with all of the above, BCNJ does
question the donor on the risk of Lyme disease. The blood center defers
donors who have had a tick bite within the past two weeks which is the
incubation period for Lyme disease as described by the CDC. Should the donor
have Lyme disease, a one year deferral period is applied following
successful treatment. The donor must be asymptomatic for that period

I hope this clarifies the regulations and guidances surrounding blood
donation and Lyme disease. Thank you for your concerns regarding safety in
the blood supply.

------------------
C O L O R A D O * S U P P O R T * S Y S T E M
[email protected]
 

Hopefully it wasn't the last piece.
 

------------------
oops!
Lymetutu

 

Ken McGee
Indiana Blood Center
Donor Counseling
317-916-5102

I guess in Indiana we don't have to wait we can donate the day we complete our treatment! Typical around here is what 10 maybe 28 days of inadequate meds?

I pray for those recieving these transfusions because no telling what is in there!

SC
 

I think we have all gone through MUCH more than the "regular" course of antibiotics.

These people are more bananas than we are!!!!

Hopefully, WE the patients will know better than to donate blood and try to keep blood drives Lyme free!!!

Geez!!!!

We could sure teach those doctors a thing or two!

 

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