Should people be afraid to receive a blood transfusion?

No. Many patients� lives are saved by blood transfusions, and for most, the risk of not receiving blood is much higher than the risk of contracting a virus through donated blood.

If it is determined that these patients contracted West Nile through blood transfusions, is the blood supply �tainted� with the West Nile Virus?

No. The blood supply is made of individual donations from individual donors which are then transfused to individual patients. There is not one large vat of blood, as some people may envision. The national blood supply is not infected with West Nile. These are rare, isolated cases.

Why isn�t there a test for West Nile Virus that can be given to all potential blood donors?

West Nile is a new virus in the United States. It takes time to develop a test to detect viruses in blood. The national blood collection organizations, the FDA, and test manufacturers are working very hard to determine a practical way to screen the blood supply for West Nile. If a test is developed and recommended by FDA, blood centers will use it.

How will blood centers screen for West Nile before a test becomes available?

Blood centers will continue to screen donors as usual, by asking questions about their general health, taking their temperature, and deferring anyone who has flu like symptoms which are common for people infected with West Nile Virus. If a donor falls ill after their donation, they are always asked to alert the blood center and the blood is withdrawn from us.

Can�t people have West Nile Virus and not show any signs? What if they donate blood?

Yes, people can carry the virus and be asymptomatic. Blood centers always ask that donors contact blood centers if they develop fever or any other disease after a donation, and always withdraw these donations from their inventory. In case the blood has been shipped to a hospital, the hospital is notified, so physicians are prepared to deal with a potential problem and address it as soon as possible.

How long does West Nile Virus stay on the blood of an infected person?

After a person is bitten by a mosquito, the virus only circulate in the blood from 1-5 days. This is very different from HIV and HCV that stay in the circulation for the rest of the person�s life.

Should people with mosquito bites be deferred from giving blood?

No. Especially during summer months, a majority of people have mosquito bites or have had one in recent weeks. Deferring everyone who had recently been bitten by a mosquito could put the blood supply at greater risk � we would run the risk of not having enough donors and therefore not enough blood to meet patients� lifesaving needs. In addition, as mentioned above, the virus only stays in the circulation for a few days.

Should blood centers stop accepting donations until a test is developed?

Absolutely not. One of the greatest health risks our country could face is a situation where we don�t have enough blood to treat patients. More than four million Americans need blood each year � without new collections, we could run out of blood and patient care would be at severe risk. A recent government study found that 2 million Americans would die if the blood wasn�t there when it was urgently needed.� What we need is for people to continue to donate blood if they are in good health. Case in point � the organ donor had received blood from more than 60 donors after being injured in a car accident. That is just one example of how much blood can be used to treat patients in need.

Can people contract West Nile Virus from donating blood?

No. Donating blood is 100% safe and donors are at no risk of catching a virus.

How often can people donate blood?

People can donate blood every 56 days, or every eight weeks � up to six times annually. Plasma can be given twice a week and platelets 24 times a year. Red blood cells have a 42-day shelf life and platelets only 5 days, so the supply must constantly be replaced. Only about eight million Americans donate blood � that�s less than three percent of the population.��

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"Plasma at Community Blood Services can only be given once a month."

Community Blood Services is a member of America�s Blood Centers, the largest provider of blood products and services. America�s Blood Centers� members are located in 45 states and Canada, serving more than 125 million people at 450 blood donation sites. For 40 years, America�s Blood Center�s members have been committed to serving the needs of their local communities by saving lives through volunteer blood donation.

For more information on America�s Blood Centers, please call America�s Blood Centers toll-free at 1-888-USBLOOD or visit our Web site at www.americasblood.org.