Blood donation is a noble act. It is crucial in medicine. Blood donations could be life saving in so many medical scenarios.

All set for blood donation and curious to know if infections like herpes can stop you?

You may already know that herpes is a common infection affecting a lot of people worldwide.

Understanding the guidelines and safety measures for people with herpes to be blood donors is important.

Are you someone who has herpes? Do you wish to donate blood? Want to know if you can or not?

Let Karepedia help simplify this dilemma for you.

What Is Herpes?

Let’s now address what herpes is. Herpes is a virus. It comes in 2 strains.

HSV-1: Herpes simplex 1, causes oral herpes affecting everything around the mouth including lips, tongue, oral lining.

It presents as painful blisters, which later bursts open to form open sores. They then crust and heal completely.

Fever, swollen glands, headache and other flu- like symptoms are also common.

HSV-2: Herpes simplex 2 causes genital herpes.

It presents the same way as oral herpes.

It can also present with swollen glands, fever and tingling sensation around the sores.

Burning sensation while urinating with or without leg pain is also seen.

While it's common to differentiate type 1 and type 2 in HSV, it is possible to have HSV-1 on your genitals and HSV-1 on your mouth. In the total population, 67% have HSV-1.

Due to genital sores in HSV-2, it paves way for contracting other STDs while having sex. This is why HSV - 2 is said to be more dangerous.

Is It Safe to Donate Blood When You Have Herpes?

Herpes is a chronic condition. If you get infected once, it is most likely you will be infected throughout your life.

It lies inactive in your nerve cells for years. Only when triggered, it becomes active again and multiplies. This multiplication causes tingling sensation and pain.

According to the guidelines, you can donate blood if you have herpes. Herpes is a long and chronic disease. It usually spreads through sex and skin to skin contact. So it is completely safe to donate blood while you have herpes.

Newer studies say that there could be a slight risk of transfer of herpes through blood donation. But the evidence is not enough to support this.

However, here are certain things you should be mindful of:

• One absolute contraindication to blood donation is when you are experiencing the first episode of herpes. During the initial outbreak, herpes virus multiplies to cause the symptoms mentioned above.

• This can lead to some amount of virus slipping into the blood. This can get transmitted through blood donation.

• Surely when frequent outbursts occur blood donation is not advised during this time. In fact, donation of blood when experiencing any flu-like illness is not advisable.

• This is because, during a flu or any infection, the body is trying to fight back. Removing a portion of blood will only increase the stress on the body.

• If you have no active signs and are on long term antivirals, it is safe for you to donate. But if you are on short term medication, you must wait for the infection to clear off from your blood.

• Can you donate blood with herpes? Yes, you can if you are feeling fine otherwise without any symptoms.

• You must not donate if you have an active herpes infection, with blisters, or sores, or unhealed lesions. Also, if you are under antiviral treatment for the same, you cannot be a donor.

• You can donate blood after 48 hours of active infection being cleared from your body.

• This means 48 hours after all the sores have crusted and healed completely with no scars. You may also donate blood when it has been over 2-7 days after completing antiviral treatment.

• It is completely safe to donate blood if your partner is positive for herpes and has no signs.

• However, if your partner has active herpes, you will have to wait at least 2 weeks before you can donate. It is obvious that you must not have any signs while donating.

• There are rapid testing kits available which give out results like a pregnancy test! Yes, you can know your results within minutes. This is essential especially if you have been exposed to herpes or other STDs recently.

General Criteria for Blood Donation

Herpes or not, it is essential to meet the general criteria before donating blood, which includes:

• 18 to 65 years is the age limit in India

• Haemoglobin more than 12.5mg/dl

• Pulse rate between 50-100 per minute and regular

• Blood pressure between 100-180 / 50-100 mm of Hg

• Oral temperature less than 37.5 degree celsius

• General good health

• Weighing 50 kgs (110 lbs) minimum

Here is a non exhaustive list of scenarios where blood donation is deferred:

• Anaemia

• Recently had a tattoo or body piercing in the last 6 months

• Visited a dentist for minor (24 hour limit) or major (one month limit) procedures.

• Alcohol consumption in the last 48 hours. Alcohol can reduce blood flow to the brain and cause dizziness and possibly fainting.

• Worked as a sex worker

• STDs such as HIV, HTLV, Hepatitis, Syphilis

• If you have had sex recently with the above mentioned STDs

• History of intravenous drug use

• Hemochromatosis: a hereditary condition where iron accumulates in the body

• Leukemias and Lymphomas

• Zika infection in the last 4 months, Ebola virus, Malaria

• Drugs such as painkillers, antibiotics, blood thinners, isotretinoin, etc.

• Received blood transfusion in the last year

• Blood donation within the last 2 months. You can donate every 112 days. That adds up to 3 times a year.

If you are still confused about the guidelines or have any more questions, you can always contact your doctor or a nearest blood bank as and when needed.

They will perform a thorough check up and navigate you through the process.