question about donating blood and STD's?

Question

when you donate blood, do they test the blood for every STD? I donate blood pretty regularly and I thought they tested it for AIDS but didn't know if they did every single STD but that would put me at ease!

Answer 1

Here is what I found:

"Using nationally standardized procedures, trained technicians perform at least 11 different tests on each sample of blood. Every unit of blood is screened for infectious diseases such as HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B and C, as well as for unexpected antibodies that might cause a transfusion reaction in some people.

Each American Red Cross blood donation also undergoes nucleic acid testing (NAT), an investigational testing method used to detect both HIV-1 and hepatitis C before the body has begun to produce antibodies. NAT testing at the American Red Cross and most other blood collection centers across the country is being done under an Investigational New Drug (IND) application submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Preliminary results (American Red Cross NAT testing began in April 1999) suggest that the test may be more sensitive than any other screening method.

Within 18 hours of submitting the blood samples to the NTL, test results are sent back to the American Red Cross Blood Services Region where the collection took place, and any blood that does not pass all lab tests is destroyed. The donors of those unacceptable units are provided supplemental testing from the National Confirmatory Testing Laboratory (NCTL) and National Transfusion Transmitted Disease Laboratory (NTTDL). The donor's physician may use the supplemental test results to manage the donor's health concerns."

I really hope that you are not donating blood just to figure out of you have an STD. If you're unsure, please get checked at a clinic or something. It's really not the job of the Red Cross to act in the place of your doctor.

Answer 2

First of all, don't donate blood just to get tested because you're unsure about yourself. That isn't the place to find out. Your blood could be given to someone before you started showing symptoms or even having a measurable amount of virus antibodies showing up in your blood. I know I wouldn't want to be responsible for giving someone something if I wasn't certain I was disease free.

Second, They test the blood for HIV antibodies as well as the various types of hepatitis, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and malaria. That's about the limit. They don't check for any other STD's like gonorrhea or syphilis.