TO
AREAS WHERE MALARIA IS ENDEMIC
Malaria can be transmitted by blood transfusion
so we must not take blood donations from people
who have been at risk of being infected with malaria.
If you have visited a malarial area you will be
deferred from donating for 12 months from your return.
This applies even if you remain completely well.
Unfortunately, we cannot take donations at all from
people who were born in a malarial aera or who lived
in a malarial area for three months or more before
the age of five. We cannot for the time being take
donations from anyone who has ever had malaria,
nor if you have had an unexplained fever during
or after your stay in the malarial area.
These criteria are under review at the present time
and may change in the future.
TRAVEL TO SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA
Not only are many parts of South & Central America
malarial, but there is also the risk to travellers
of developing an infection called Chagas' Disease.
Chagas' disease is passed on to humans when a parasite,
T Cruzi, which is carried by a nocturnal bug, comes
into contact with wounds or scratches on the skin
or the internal tissues of the nose or mouth. The
disease is found in rural and primitive areas of
South and Central America.
T Cruzi can be transmitted through the red cells
in blood transfusions. As we can test for it, donors
can donate providing their test is negative. So
if you have visited rural parts of South or Central
America at any time you will be welcome to attend
a donation session. We will take a blood sample
from you so that we can check that your blood is
negative for T Cruzi before we accept you to donate
again.
