Smallpox immunisation - Bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell

Immunised individual

Obligatory: Must not donate if:
The inoculation site has not fully healed.
Any secondarily infected site has not fully healed.
Less than 8 weeks from inoculation or from the appearance of any secondarily infected site.
Additional information: Smallpox immunisation is with live virus. By 8 weeks, the infection caused by the inoculation should have been controlled. If the wound has not healed, it is possible that there may still be infection present. We do not want to pass the virus, or other infection, on to either donors or staff, or to people receiving stem cells.

Contact with an immunised individual

Obligatory: Must not donate if:
Any secondarily infected site has not yet healed.
Less than 8 weeks after secondarily infected site appeared.
Discretionary: If no new skin lesions, accept.
Additional information: Close contacts of vaccinees (household or direct bodily contact) may become secondarily infected from direct skin contact with an infected inoculation site or from virus on clothing, bedding, dressings etc. If infection occurs, a new skin rash, blister or sore appears at the site of contact, which could be anywhere on the body. The rash represents a secondary vaccination site and presents exactly the same potential risk to patients, other donors and staff as that of a person who has been intentionally immunised.

Supporting information

Regulatory information: This advice is a requirement of the EU Tissue and Cells Directive.