So, can i donate plasma if i have herpes or another sexually transmitted disease? Without the shadow of a doubt, the question is in the minds of many blood donors in the present times. Whether you have herpes or any other such disease that might get sexually transmitted, or you are free from STDs, you might still have the curiosity to know more about the restrictions existing. At the same time, you wish to donate blood as they are related to the STD status of the donor.
While you are ready to donate blood, most of the centers responsible for donation tend to prefer that the donor is as healthy and fit as possible. This specifically includes being free from any viral infections that might range from HIV to the common cold. With this stated, what about other common infections like herpes?
Herpes and plasma donation
An important difference between certain other diseases that are capable of being transferred sexually and herpes is that herpes is not a virus present in the blood of a human being, especially when compared to a virus such as HIV. The blood of the patient infected with the herpes virus is not known to pass the same disease to another person due to the transfusion of blood because herpes can only be communicated via direct contact, skin-to-skin. However, certain crucial stipulations and restrictions exist for those who possess the symptoms of herpes when it comes to the donation of blood.
Suppose a donor suffers from herpes and is known to take a certain kind of antiviral medication to cure it. In that case, most centers for blood donation require a donor to have patience and wait for at least 24 hours succeeding to complete the last dose of the medication before blood donation. Such centers are also known to stipulate that a person infected with herpes cannot donate blood if he is currently experiencing his first outbreak of the herpes virus. Because the primary outbreak of the herpes virus is typically known to be the most severe for a patient, it is highly possible that at such a time, a small amount of herpes virus enters your bloodstream.
Can you donate plasma if you are suffering from other STDs?
In addition to herpes, you can typically involve yourself with blood if you suffer from HPV or Chlamydia. This is only when you feel healthy and effectively meet all the criteria and requirements set up for being eligible to donate blood.
Because hepatitis and HIV can pass on to the other person due to the transmission of blood, people who are hepatitis and HIV positive but are indulged in other behaviors that might be directly or indirectly associated with the risk of transmission of HIV might be prohibited from blood donation.
Conclusion
Can I donate plasma if I have herpes? While all the guidelines might answer this question, a very important note is that a donor should never rely on donation centers to ensure that their blood is considered healthy for donation.
Donating blood that might be nothing but a waste of resources and time might potentially harm the patients. This is why a donor must be well aware of his status as it is directly related to STDs or other such ailments before blood donation.