Topic: Tick-Borne Disease Transmission by Blood Donation Prevalent in Endemic Areas
Ann-OH
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2020
posted
Some interesting info on blood donation transmission of tick-borne disease. This is the first time I have seen a study done on blood donation danger. Does anyone know if a study has been done on Lyme? I don't think so.
Ann-OH
Infectious Diseases Society of America 43rd Annual Meeting October 6 - 9, 2005, San Francisco, California
Tick-Borne Disease Transmission by Blood Donation Prevalent in Endemic Areas
Mary Beth Nierengarten Information from Industry The Neuroscience Institute - Provides cutting edge neuroscience information, including research reports, news, conference coverage and expert commentary on areas of interest within the neurosciences. It also offers physicians the scientific underpinnings of current therapeutic research.
Oct. 11, 2005 (San Francisco) -- The need to develop strategies to prevent transmission of tick-borne disease via blood transfusion is increasing as new reports continue to surface. Although not as much in the popular press as Lyme disease, Babesia microti is creating its own quieter havoc.
In a study presented here at the Infectious Diseases Society of America 43rd annual meeting, Megan Nguyen, BS, from the American Red Cross in Rockville, Maryland, presented data from a six-year study that showed the prevalence of B microti transmission via blood transfusion in areas where the tick is commonly found.
Examination of 13,573 samples from blood donors from 1999 to 2004 in endemic regions of Connecticut showed that 175 samples (1.3%) tested positive for B microti infection based on indirect fluorescent antibody testing.
Of these 175, 129 donors consented to participate in a three-year follow-up study in which they were tested by IFA for the presence of antibodies to B microti as well as receiving nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for parasitemia on a regular basis. Overall, 27 donors (21%) were found to have parasitemia as indicated by a positive PCR test, suggesting that some patients have persistent, ongoing infection.
In addition, parasitemia rates decreased from 55% in the first two years of the follow-up study to 3% in the third and final year. Ms. Nguyen said the study did not show a clear reason for this, adding that many factors could account for it.
Ms. Nguyen emphasized that "anybody who has had B microti is permanently prohibited from donating blood" and is registered in the blood bank system of the Red Cross nationwide. However, it is important to identify those people infected with B microti prior to blood donation. According to Ms. Nguyen, most of the transfusion-related transmission occurs through people who are infected with the tick-borne disease but who are asymptomatic.
Identifying infected people before they donate blood is therefore an important goal in reducing the risk of transfusion-related B microti transmission, but the best way to do this is not yet clear, she said.
Richard Whitley, MD, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Alabama in Birmingham who moderated the session, told Medscape that prospective blood donors are not currently screened routinely for tick-borne diseases, an issue that needs to be addressed by local blood banks.
However, Ms. Nguyen told Medscape she is hopeful "that there will be screening" or a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for testing before donation. Unfortunately, she added, she does not know of any test under investigation for FDA approval.
Information from Industry The Neuroscience Institute - Provides cutting edge neuroscience information, including research reports, news, conference coverage and expert commentary on areas of interest within the neurosciences. It also offers physicians the scientific underpinnings of current therapeutic research.
Linda LD
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6663
posted
I called the Red Cross when I found out I had this and asked them to tell the people who got my blood. I use to belong to the bloody bucket or whatever you get for giving a lot of blood...
The Red Cross refused.
This is our big lawsuit--we could get a lot of attention and get the word out.
Anyone think they got LD from bad blood?
L
Posts: 1171 | From Knoxville, TN US | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged |
oxygenbabe
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5831
posted
Blood donation aside, this just proves what I was saying on another thread about babesia treatment: the disease persists. I don't think you can get rid of it. Many folks are asymptomatic, though.
Posts: 2276 | From united states | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I donated blood three times before I found out I had Lyme Disease and Babesiosis. I worked at The Red Cross when I found out I had Babesiosis. I had to notify them to track down the people who received my blood, because my blood could have made them very sick, or die. Posts: 37 | From Jamestown, NY | Registered: Oct 2005
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic