Can You Donate Blood If You Have Herpes

Giving blood these days can be a tricky endeavor.  Not just anyone can donate blood.  In an attempt to make the blood supply as safe as possible there have been hundreds of restrictions put into place, denying many the opportunity to give blood. For instance, those who suffer with certain contagious diseases are barred from donating blood as are people who have lived in certain areas of the world during specific time periods (or for a certain length of time). Even a woman who has been raped or sexually abused is required to stop giving blood for at least one year after the attack.

So, what about herpes?  If you suffer with either Herpes Simplex I Virus (the kind that causes mouth sores) or Herpes Simplex II Virus (otherwise called genital herpes), can you give blood under current Red Cross and FDA guidelines.  The answer is yes – under certain circumstances.

Before we discuss the regulations regarding blood donation for the herpes patient, let’s first look at the three types of blood donors in the United States.

1. The Volunteer Donor:  A volunteer donor is someone who freely donates their blood with no monetary or other benefits in mind. They simply want to offer help when needed.  This is where the vast majority of the blood supply comes from.  A volunteer donor is required to answer 90 very short questions in order to be able to donate their blood to any clinic, hospital or blood donation center.  Answering wrong to any of those questions could cause their donation to be denied. The trouble is, not everyone answers these questions truthfully (either by accident or on purpose), and this has caused some breeches in blood safety levels in recent years.
2. The Replacement Donor:  this is someone who donates their blood to be used for themselves or someone they know (like a friend or family member). The rules and regulations regarding this type of donation are a bit slacker than general volunteer donations, since the recipient knows exactly where the blood is coming form – and from whom.   Plus if they are giving blood for their own use it really does not matter what other conditions they suffer with since their system is already being harmed by it.
3. The Professional Donor. This is a donor who actually sells their blood for monetary gain. Since the rules regarding these types of donations vary form facility to facility, the safety of these donations may sometimes be questionable.

So, why did we need to talk about the types of blood donors? Well, depending on the type of donor you are the rules for accepting or denying your blood donation may vary. For instance, a Volunteer donor facility may deny your donation if you are currently undergoing an active herpes attack; but not deny your donation if you are a replacement donor and are building up a blood supply for an upcoming surgery on yourself.

Now, let’s talk about when and why a herpes patient may be denied the ability to donate blood at a certain time or with a certain agency.
Although there are no laws requiring them to do so, it is a general practice that most blood centers across the United States follow a 'multi layer' safety protocol to determine eligibility of donors in order to secure the safest blood donations possible.  This includes:

• Screening individually,
• Lab test,
• Donation exclusion confidentially,
• Cheking donor records.

When it comes to herpes patient donations, the American Red Cross and FDA suggest that blood donations be deferred for one month after an active outbreak of the virus.  They also recommend that a primary outbreak (a person’s very first and strongest outbreak) be the cause of a temporary denial during the outbreak since the virus can be transferred in the blood during that first herpes attack.  Subsequent attacks, however, do not formally require a deferment, although one is suggested for about a month.

Another thing to consider if you suffer with herpes is how you feel.  If you are feeling especially run down, tired or sick you should not donate blood since the stress on the immune system during this time could trigger a painful attack. While this will not harm the blood you are donating, it could make your life a bit uncomfortable for a few weeks.

Donating blood is a wonderful gift; and one that does not have to be denied you just because of your herpes diagnosis.  You should, however, be sure to answer any questions about your outbreak status truthfully when asked and avoid giving blood during an attack or when you are not feeling well, both for the safety of those receiving your blood in the future and your own well being.