Malarial parasite

[sona]

hi ,

heres a very simple question waiting for some very good answers from our respected blood bankers

Can a malarial parasite positive platelets , ffps or cryo i mean produvts that does not contain rbcs?please specify your answers with reasons

[rravkin@aol.com]

Sona,

Do you mean will a malarial parasite infect other blood products in addition to packed red cells; the answer is yes. Take Falciparum for example. This malarial species has several known stages within it's lifecyle that reside outside the red cell and are free flaoting in the plasma. Donors with a history of malaria are rejected for donation because it is difficult or impossible to completely irradicate or cure. Also, when one goes to donate there is a series of questions asked some of which pertain to travel to ares known for high occurance of malarial infection within a given time frame. Have you ever donated blood? If not, try sometime and you will encounter this series of questions.

[heathervaught]

Once upon a time, prospective donors who had traveled to an area where malaria is endemic were permitted to donate plasma only...I did this after returning from my honeymoon where I spent a day touring some Mayan ruins in 2002. Now, they are deferred from donating at all for 12 months.

Individuals who have been diagnosed with malaria may donate once they have been disease-free for 3 years.

[rravkin@aol.com]

Heather,

Thank you for the info. Do you know why these time frames are in use and how they were established?

[heathervaught]

No, I do not know how these time frames were established. They are current (26th edition) AABB Standards, page 60. It is also a third criteria: anyone who has lived in an endemic country for 5 years or more is deferred for 3 years, even if they are asymptomatic.

In the 22nd edition of the Standards (2003), the two 3-year deferrals were listed. In the 23rd edition (2004), the 12-month deferral was added.