Can you donate blood if you have herpes or another STD? With January being National Blood Donor Month, this question is undoubtedly on the minds of many. Whether you have herpes or another STD, or are STD-free, you may be curious about the restrictions on donating blood as they relate to a donor’s STD status.
When donating blood, most donation centers prefer that you be as healthy as possible, and that includes being free from many viral infections ranging from the common cold to HIV. But what about other common infections, such as herpes?
The important distinction between herpes and certain other STDs, especially when compared to a virus like HIV, is that herpes is not a virus that is present in the blood. Because herpes is only transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact, the blood of a patient infected with the herpes virus cannot transmit herpes to another person through a blood transfusion. However, there are still some important restrictions and stipulations for people who have herpes symptoms when it comes to donating blood.
If a donor has herpes and is taking antiviral medications, most donation centers require the donor to wait at least 24 hours after completing the last dose of medication before donating blood. Most blood donation centers also stipulate that someone infected with herpes should not donate blood if he or she is experiencing an outbreak of the virus for the first time ever. Because the first outbreak is usually the most serious for patients, it is possible that a small amount of the virus enters the bloodstream at the time of the outbreak.
But what about other STDs? In addition to herpes, you can normally donate blood if you have chlamydia or HPV, you feel healthy and meet all other eligibility requirements.
Because HIV and hepatitis can be transmitted through the blood, people who are HIV or hepatitis positive obviously cannot donate blood. In many cases, potential donors who are not HIV positive but are involved in behavior that could be associated with the risk of HIV transmission may also be prohibited from donating blood.
If someone who is HIV or hepatitis positive and does not know that they are HIV or hepatitis positive donates blood, that blood will not be used for transfusions. All blood donated, regardless of donor self-report, is screened for HIV, hepatitis, syphilis and other infections or conditions. Blood that fails these screenings is not used for transmissions, and the donor is usually notified that their blood cannot be used.
However, it is still possible to donate blood if you have had other curable STDs in the past. According to guidelines from the American Red Cross, you must wait twelve months after treatment for syphilis, gonorrhea or syphilis before you are eligible to donate blood.
While these guidelines may answer the question of whether you can donate blood if you have herpes or other STDs, it is important to note that donors should not rely on blood donation centers to ensure their blood is healthy enough for donation. Donating blood that will ultimately not be used is a waste of time and resources and could potentially harm others. Therefore, it is important to know your status as it relates to STDs or other conditions before donating blood.