JPAC Joint United Kingdom (UK) Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee

Animal Bite (Non-Human)

Obligatory

Must not donate if:

a) Ever bitten by a non-human primate (monkeys and apes).


b) Less than 12 months since being bitten by a bat or exposed to bat saliva anywhere in the world.


c) Less than 12 months since being bitten by any other mammal outside of the British Isles (UK and Ireland).


d) Any wound is infected or not healed.

See if Relevant

Infection - General
Rabies

For a human bite:
Non-Consented Exposure to Human Body Fluids

Additional Information

Animal bites may result in many different infections. Allowing all wounds to heal and for any obvious infection to have resolved should avoid problems.


There is a concern that bites from non-human primates, because of close genetic links, may transmit diseases that could cause illness in people. It is known that some diseases have been transmitted by this route. For this reason any person who has ever been bitten by a non-human primate is not allowed to donate. Non-human primates include chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, monkeys (old and new world), tarsiers, lemurs and lorises.


Anyone who has been in unusual contact with a bat, such as handling a sick or injured bat, should be considered at risk of rabies. Bat bites are usually insignificant and easily overlooked. Merely being in a place where bats roost is not considered a risk.

Rabies, and similar diseases, have long incubation periods and do not show as a wound infection. There is no evidence that these infections have ever been transmitted through a blood transfusion. These diseases appear to be confined to the nervous system during their incubation periods. There is evidence that they have been transmitted through organ, tissue and ocular transplants. 

Reason for change

To introduce a 12 month deferral period after a bat bite or exposure to bat saliva and after a bite by any other mammal outside the British Isles.
To give more information on the definition of a non-human primate.

Donor Information

If you wish to obtain more information regarding a personal medical issue please contact your National Help Line.

Please do not contact this web site for personal medical queries, as we are not in a position to provide individual answers.

Update Information

This entry was last updated in:
DSG-WB Edition 203, Release 55.