Animal bite, non-human - Cord blood

Essential information

Includes

Snake bite

Obligatory

Must not donate if:

  1. Ever bitten by a non-human primate.
  2. Any wound is infected or not healed.
  3. Less than 12 months since bitten anywhere in the world by a bat or by any other mammal outside of the British Isles (UK and Ireland).
  4. The donor is not fully recovered.

Supporting information

See if relevant
Additional information

Being bitten by a non-human primate should result in permanent deferral. Risks include simian T-lymphotropic virus, herpes B, simian foamy virus and other as yet unknown viruses. Non-human primates include chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, gibbons, monkeys (old and new world), tarsiers, lemurs and lorises.

Animal bites may result in many different infections. Allowing all wounds to heal and for any obvious infection to have resolved should avoid problems.

As well as local care of the bite, donors may receive other treatments such as antibiotics or immunisation; these may affect the donor's eligibility. Bites from venomous snakes can cause extensive local tissue damage that can take a long time to heal and may require surgery. Depending on the species of biting snake, their venom can cause problems with blood clotting and, in severe cases, require transfusion of blood components (e.g. plasma or cryoprecipitate).

Rabies, and similar diseases, have long incubation periods and do not show as a wound infection. There is no evidence that these infections have ever been transmitted through a cord blood donation. These diseases appear to be confined to the nervous system during their incubation periods. There is evidence that they have been transmitted through organ, tissue and ocular transplants. For this reason, there are different rules for material that may contain nervous system tissue.

Anyone who has been in unusual contact with a bat, such as handling a sick or injured bat, or woken to find that a bat has been with them while asleep, should be considered at risk of rabies. Bat bites are usually insignificant and easily overlooked. Merely being in a place where bats roost is not considered a risk.

Reason for change:
Guidance on snake bites is now included in this entry. A reminder to assess treatments beyond local wound care has been added to the ‘Additional information’ section. The ‘See if relevant’ links have been updated.
Version:
Snake bites
Version details:

CB-DSG Edition 203 Release 59 (6 October 2026)