Appendix 4: Management of post donation illness

Bordetella pertussis
(whooping cough)

7 to 10 days

Discard if within 10 days

Borrelia burgdorferi
(Lyme disease)

3 to 30 days

Acute Lyme disease: discard up to 30 days.

Chronic Lyme disease: no action required.

Costochondritis / Coxsackie virus
(Bornholm disease)

1 to 7 days

Discard up to one week

Coxsackie A
(hand, foot and mouth disease)

Usually Coxsackie A, but can be other enteroviruses

3 to 7 days

Discard up to 7 days

Epstein-Barr virus
(glandular fever)

30 to 50 days

Discard up to 50 days

Hepatitis A (acute)

2 to 6 weeks

Discard up to 7 weeks

Hepatitis B (acute)

6 weeks to 6 months

Discard all in date components.

Seek microbiological advice regarding recall of previous donations if the donor's history and/or testing results suggest this is an acute (recent) infection.

Hepatitis C (acute)

Up to 6 months

Discard all in date components.

Seek microbiological advice regarding recall of previous donations if the donor's history and/or testing results suggest this is an acute (recent) infection.

Hepatitis E (acute)

2 to 8 weeks

Discard up to 9 weeks

Herpes simplex (oral and genital)

2 to 12 days for primary infection.

Primary viraemia during incubation period, secondary viraemia at time of symptoms.

For primary infection: discard up to 14 days.

For recurrent infection: no action required if recurrent lesion(s) and lesions were absent or healing when donated.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

n/a

Discard all in-date components at any interval after donation.

Seek microbiological advice regarding recall of previous donations if the donor's history and/or testing results suggest this is an acute (recent) infection.

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)

n/a

Discard all in-date components at any interval after donation

Influenza

Influenza A: 1 to 5 days.

Adenovirus: 4 to 5 days.

No action unless severe systematic symptoms (defined as fever/myalgia ± cough/cold symptoms).

If present, discard up to 5 days.

Legionella
(Legionnaires' disease, Pontiac fever)

Up to 3 weeks

Discard up to 3 weeks

Measles

10 to 21 days

Discard up to 3 weeks

Mpox

21 days

Discard up to 21 days. Follow local processes for public health notification if the component has been transfused.

If the donor has reported contact with mpox in the 21 days before donation, place the donation on hold and seek public health advice to determine the risk.

Mumps

16 to 18 days.

Primary and secondary viraemia.

Discard up to 3 weeks

Mycoplasma
(M. pneumoniae)

1 to 4 weeks.

Mostly headache, malaise, fever, 5–10% progress to pneumonia.

Discard up to 3 weeks

Parvovirus B19
(Fifth disease, Slapped cheek syndrome)

13 to 20 days

Discard up to 3 weeks

Rubella
(German measles)

14 to 21 days

Discard up to 3 weeks

SARS-CoV-2
(COVID-19)

2 to 14 days

Discard if:

• A SARS-CoV-2 test has been taken and COVID-19 confirmed, and
• Symptoms and/or the positive test result occurred in the 48-hour period after donation.

If a SARS-CoV-2 test is negative or has not been taken, refer to the relevant advice on this page for the donor's symptoms.

Tuberculosis

n/a

Discard all in-date components at any interval post donation.

Look-back to relevant transfused recipients.

Varicella zoster
(chickenpox)

10 to 21 days

Discard if within 3 weeks

West Nile Virus

3 to 15 days

Discard up to 15 days

Appendicitis

No action if confirmed appendicitis and asymptomatic at the time of donation

Chest infection

No action unless systemic symptoms; if present discard up to 5 days

Common cold

No action unless symptoms

Conjunctivitis

No action providing well on the day

Diarrhoea and vomitting

Causes may include (incubation period given below):

• Salmonella (12 to 72 hours)
• Shigella (1 to 7 days)
• Campylobacter (1 to 11 days)
• Rotavirus (24 to 72 hours )
• Norovirus (1 to 2 days)
• Cryptosporidium (2 to 5 days)
• Yersinia (4 days)

With all the above, likely to be significant bacteremia or viraemia. Staphylococcal, clostridium and Bacillus cereus food poisoning is all toxin-induced.

Discard up to 14 days.

If this is an episode of food poisoning which occurred after the donation, no action required.

Jaundice

Assess whether infective cause possible.

Discard all in-date components after any notification if infection is a possible cause:

• See specific entry if infective cause identified
• Discard not required if a non-infective cause (e.g. drug reaction) has been identified

Malaria

With any disclosure of illness or risk after donation, follow local policies and procedures.

Shingles (herpes zoster)

Possible viraemia for 48 hours from symptoms and/or rash.

Discard if rash or any symptoms develop within 48 hours.

Symptoms include tingling of skin, pain or eruption of vesicles.

Skin disease - cellulitis/erysipelas

Caused by Streptococcus pyogenes.

Discard up to 1 week.

Skin disease - impetigo

Caused by Group A streptococcus / Staphylococcus aureus.

3 to 5 days incubation period.

No action if no systemic symptoms; if present, discard up to 1 week.

Sore throat

May include:

• Rhinovirus
• Group A streptococcus (2 to 4 days incubation period)
• Epstein-Barr virus (0 to 50 days incubation period)

If a sore throat is accompanied by simple cold symptoms and no systemic symptoms, no action is required. Systemic symptoms include malaise, myalgia, fever, headache.

If systemic symptoms, discard up to 1 week.

If glandular fever, discard up to 50 days.

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (prion disease)

If informed of a possible or confirmed case of prion associated disease, recall (do not discard) any in date components. Follow local policies and procedures.

Urinary tract infection (UTI)

If symptomatic at donation: discard.

If asymptomatic at donation: no action unless systemic symptoms, then discard up to 5 days. Systemic symptoms include malaise, myalgia, fever and headache.