“I would imagine 20 year old college students who were tested and found disease free wouldn’t mind getting a grand or so for a unit of blood.”
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I would imagine you are correct. The problems begin with the underage and/or unwilling. . .
At one time I read a great deal of science fiction. The next step could be robbing toddlers of neurologicals to boost brainpower, apparently.
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https://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/BLDBANK/BBTEST.html
A number of laboratory tests must be completed before blood or blood products can be transfused:
Determination of the blood type with a crossmatch.
Screening for antibodies that may produce adverse effects if transfused.
Screening for possible infectious agents that could be transmitted with transfusion.
The following tests are manadatory on all units of blood collected for transfusion:
ABO group and Rh type
Screening for blood-group antibodies
Serologic tests for human retroviruses including:
HIV-1
HIV-2
HTLV I
HTLV II
Serologic tests for viral hepatitis including:
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Serologic tests for additional infectious agents including:
Syphilis (Treponema pallidum
West Nile virus
Chagas disease (Trypanosoma cruzi)
If, and only if, all of these markers are negative can blood be conveyed to the Blood Bank for storage until usage. A postive results for some of these tests may prevent further donation by that person. A person with such a test result will be notified by the donor center.
Persons with a potential medical condition should see a physician and should not, under any circumstance, donate only to have blood tested. These measures are done to make the blood supply as safe as possible.
The significant infectious diseases transmitted by transfusion and the risk of transmission (RT) in the U.S. are given below.
Transfusion Transmitted Diseases
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is transmitted through parenteral and sexual exposure. The incubation time is a mean of 90 days with a range of 30 to 180 days.
Donor blood is routinely tested for HBsAg and HBcAb. There is no routine testing for hepatitis A, because it is rarely transmitted by blood products.
Recipients of blood products can also be infected with hepatitis delta, which is a defective RNA virus that needs a HBV superinfection to replicate.
Persons who have received a hepatitis B vaccination (recommended for all health care workers with patient contact) will have hepatitis B surface antibody present, but not HBsAg or HBcAb
Risk of transmission (RT) = 1 in 200,000 to 500,000
Hepatitis C
The route of transmission is parenteral, with sexual transmission lower than previously throught. The mean incubation time is 6 to 8 weeks.
Blood Bank testing for HCV started in 1990. At present, only testing for hepatitis C antibody is available.
Risk of transmission (RT) = 1 in 1,000,000 to 2,000,000
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
In 1982 the first cases of AIDS obtained from blood or blood components were reported, but the etiology of the infections was not known at that time.
By 1983 changes occurred in the donor cirteria to exclude those at high risk for transmission of HIV.
The first testing of blood products for HIV started in 1985 and is a test to detect the presence of antibody directed against HIV. Testing for HIV p24 antigen was mandated in 1996.
Risk of transmission = 1 in 1,000,000 to to 2,000,000
Human T-lymphocytotrophic Virus (HTLV-I/II).
HTLV-1 is a retrovirus that is endemic in Japan and the Caribbean. Implicated as causing adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and a neurological disorder similar to multiple sclerosis.
Blood is routinely screened for antibodies to HTLV-I.
Risk of transmission = 1 in 2,000,000 t0 3,000,000 (but only 1-3% of seropositive individuals will develop disease).
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
The prevalence of CMV antibody ranges from 50 to 80% of the population. Blood contaminated with CMV can cause problems in neonates or immunocompromised patients.
Potential problems in selected patient populations can be prevented by transfusing CMV negative blood or frozen, deglycerolized RBC’s.
Donor blood is not routinely tested for CMV.
Malaria
Malaria is rarely transmitted by RBC products, although the number of transfusion associated cases of malaria is at an all-time high.
Donors traveling to high risk malaria areas are excluded from donating blood for six months. In areas of high prevalence, an antibody test to detect Plasmodium falciparium and Plasmodium vivax can be employed.
Bacterial Contamination
Bacterial contamination of blood can occur during collection. Bacteria can grow during storage at room temperature and during refrigeration (psychrophilic organisms). Platelet products carry the greatest risk (1 in 3000 units may have bacteria), because they are stored at room temperature.
Transfusing a contaminated unit may uncommonly result in severe sepsis (1 in 100,000), septic shock and death.
Others
Additional diseases which are rarely transmitted by blood products include:
Lyme disease
Dengue fever
Babesiosis
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Potential donors may be screened by questionnaire regarding travel to endemic areas or contact with persons at risk. Antibody tests available for all but babesiosis and CJD are available, preferentially applied in regions of high prevalence.
Blood Testing
Edward C. Klatt MD