What happens if you donate blood and have HIV?

Individuals who have ever tested positive for HIV should not donate blood. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would like to remind the public that individuals who have ever tested positive for HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) should not donate blood, because of the potential risk of transmitting HIV to others.

Do they test your blood for HIV when you donate?

What Screening Is Done on Your Blood? After you have donated, your blood will be tested for syphilis, HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), hepatitis, and HTLV (human T-lymphotropic virus), which can cause a blood or nerve disease.

What precautions should be taken to ensure blood donors are clear of HIV screening blood sampling or scratch test?

Blood screening should be anonymous and linked. This means that the test result cannot be . linked with the person whose blood has been tested, other than by the person themself or a counsellor.

Why is it important that blood donors be screened first before they can donate blood?

Laboratory screening of donated blood is the step that determines whether or not a donation is non-reactive for specific markers of infection and is therefore safe to release for clinical or manufacturing use.

Can a blood test tell you if you have HIV?

A blood test can tell you if you have HIV. However, following contact with the HIV virus, the HIV test may be negative for several weeks. The virus can still be passed to another person during this time. If you have tested positive for HIV or have a history of sexually transmitted diseases, DO NOT DONATE BLOOD.

What happens if my HIV test results are negative?

If you get an HIV test after a potential HIV exposure and the result is negative, get tested again after the window period. Remember, you can only be sure you are HIV-negative if:. You haven’t had a potential HIV exposure during the window period. If you do have an exposure, then you will need to be retested.

What happens if I get tested for HIV outside of hospital?

If you are tested outside of a health care setting or lab (such as at a community-based organization, mobile testing van, or elsewhere) you will likely receive a rapid HIV test (oral fluid or finger stick.) If the test comes back negative, and you haven’t had a possible exposure during the previous 3 months, you can be confident you don’t have HIV.

Is it illegal to give blood if you are HIV positive?

It is illegal to give blood if you know you have tested positive for the HIV virus or if you know you have AIDS. You can be fined up to $20,000 and/or go to jail for up to 10 years.