West Nile Virus

[cessna152towser]

The blood donor team were in town today so after the Remembrance Sunday church service I went along kilted to give my blood donation.
I was told I am not eligible to give blood due to the risk that I may be carrying West Nile Virus as I have returned from Canada or the USA within the past twenty eight days. It is just 25 days since I returned from California.
I had always thought of Canada and USA as safe countries to visit, in the past there have been no restrictions on giving blood here in Scotland shortly after visiting one of these countries.
Only another three days to go and hopefully I will be clear of this and eligible to give blood next weekend though it would mean travelling to another town to do so.
Is West Nile Virus something we should be worried about?

[Chas]

The blood donor team were in town today so after the Remembrance Sunday church service I went along kilted to give my blood donation.
I was told I am not eligible to give blood due to the risk that I may be carrying West Nile Virus as I have returned from Canada or the USA within the past twenty eight days. It is just 25 days since I returned from California.
I had always thought of Canada and USA as safe countries to visit, in the past there have been no restrictions on giving blood here in Scotland shortly after visiting one of these countries.
Only another three days to go and hopefully I will be clear of this and eligible to give blood next weekend though it would mean travelling to another town to do so.
Is West Nile Virus something we should be worried about?

I always thought that in Egypt there was an Upper Nile and a Lower Nile and that the Nile flowed South to North. That would mean that there was an East Bank and a West Bank - but the West Bank is in Gaza and that is a whole country away. Just what have you been doing on your holidays Alex?

Regards

Chas

[Cynthia]

I hope this link helps:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/west..._factSheet.htm

[vmac3205]

It's a tick thing. Captmac and I are monthly pheresis donors, and we always have to deny spending large amounts of time in the UK. It flows both directions.

[Stilletto_Rebel]

...I had always thought of Canada and USA as safe countries to visit...

You're joking, aren't you?! The U.S.A especially is a melting pot of viruses and diseases! Take the Bubonic Plague (a.k.a. the Black Death); are you aware that in America people die of this disease every year?

Is West Nile Virus something we should be worried about?

The CDC reports 26 deaths attributed to the West Nile Virus between January and October 2009: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm

[Arlen]

It's a tick thing. Captmac and I are monthly pheresis donors, and we always have to deny spending large amounts of time in the UK. It flows both directions.

Same here. A lot of folk get West Nile from Mosquitoes here. whenever I was in Scotland I would have to wait for a month after any of my American trips to give blood.

[Bugbear]

A friend of mine almost died from it a while back. I think horses can get and carry it, too.

[BEEDEE]

It works the other way. I cannot give blood in the USA because of the time I spent in the UK. Fear of mad cow disease apparently!

Brian

[McClef]

Blood is tested for various problems before it is used but they cannot run checks for absolutely every possibility, hence the tendency to err on the side of caution.

I cannot give blood anyway because I am diabetic.

[wvpiper]

I cannot give blood anyway because I am diabetic.

According to the Red Cross, you can IF your diabetes is controlled.
List of guidelines, here, including discussion of Mad Cow.
http://www.redcross.org/en/eligibility