Infection, chronic - Whole blood and components

Essential information

Definition/s

Chronic: continuing, or possibly continuing, infection, even without symptoms or signs of infection.

Systemic: any medicine taken by mouth, injection or suppository. It does not include local skin or nail treatments, or drops or creams used in the eye, ear or nose.

Obligatory

Must not donate.

Contact with chronic infection:

See Infectious diseases, contact with
or Non-contagious diseases, contact with

Discretionary

1. Acne:
   Most donors with acne can be accepted but this depends on the type of treatment and lack of any secondary infection.
   
   
2. Chronic superficial fungal infections:
   1. If on local therapy only, accept.
   2. If more than 7 days from completing systemic antifungal therapy, accept.
      
      
3. Typhoid and paratyphoid
   If more than 7 days from completion of antibiotic course and last symptoms, accept.

Supporting information

See if relevant

• Acne
• Endocarditis
• Hepatitis
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• Hepatitis E
• Herpes simplex
• HIV
• HTLV
• Malaria
• Osteomyelitis
• Prion-associated diseases
• Sexually transmitted disease
• Skin disease
• South American trypanosomiasis
• Steroid therapy
• Surgery
• Syphilis
• Thrush
• Toxoplasmosis
• Tuberculosis

Additional information

Many infections can be spread by donated material. It is important that the donor does not pose a risk of giving an infection to a recipient. Some infections may appear to have resolved but are only controlled by the person's immune system. If material from them is given to a recipient without immunity, severe infection may result. Typhoid and paratyphoid are gastrointestinal infections which rarely have a chronic carrier state. It is usually caught while travelling. It is passed by the faecal-oral route and is not transfusion transmitted.

Reason for change:

To add entry for Typhoid and Paratyphoid.

Version details:

WB-DSG Edition 203 Release 18 (09 June 2013)