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Do You Know the Tests Your Blood Goes Through?

By Carter BloodCare | 34 comments | General, Hospital | 11 July, 2016

If you’ve given blood before, you know that you’ve just given a life-saving resource to people in need. However, there is a lot that happens between a donation and the time of the transfusion. At the time of your donation, the phlebotomist draws several tubes of blood before collecting the actual transfusion product. When your donation is completed, the blood in the tubes is what the laboratory uses later, for testing the blood.  Once at the laboratory, the blood undergoes numerous tests to determine if it is safe for transfusion before it can be utilized by a community hospital partner for patients.

ABO Blood Grouping

This test establishes your blood type and helps to determine what blood types you can receive, if needed, in the future; and most immediately, which patients can receive your blood.

Rh Typing

Similar to ABO testing, the Rh test indicates whether your blood type is positive or negative; further narrowing the options of patients who can safely receive your donation.

Red Cell Antibody Screen

This screening looks for unexpected antibodies on the red cells that could be caused from past transfusions, pregnancy, and other factors. Knowing which antibodies are present contributes to the decision-making about matching blood for patients.

Infectious Disease Testing

The primary diseases for which the blood is tested every time you donate are:

  • Hepatitis B and C
  • HIV – the virus that causes AIDS
  • HTLV types I and II (viruses linked to a form of leukemia and inflammation of the spinal cord)
  • West Nile virus – transmitted through mosquito bites
  • Syphilis – a sexually transmitted disease
  • Each donor is tested one time for Chagas disease which is transmitted through a bug that is referred to as “the kissing bug.”

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is not a mandatory or regulated screening or test. Rather, Carter BloodCare offers this to its donors as a way to stay on top of health and cardiovascular risks.

How often are new tests added?

In order to keep each patient safe, the blood industry and multiple regulatory agencies are constantly looking at new health risks and disease that could affect the safety of the blood collected for transfusion. If the need arises to add another test, it is incorporated after much consideration by the regulatory bodies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

What happens if someone tests positive?

Depending on the type of positive test result, a donor may be temporarily or indefinitely deferred. Units with positive infectious disease markers are discarded. A donor will be notified of any significant abnormal test results. At that time, we are able to help the donor understand the test result and subsequent deferral, if any. All test results are confidential on a strict, need-to-know basis, including the required notification to the health department of certain positive test results.

If you have questions about testing, please call Donor Notification at 1-888-480-8200 or check out our FAQs.

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34 comments

  • David Blankenship Reply July 12, 2016 at 9:20 pm

    Glad to know what tests are being performed; probably need to add zika soon to the battery of tests!

    • Carter BloodCare Reply November 9, 2016 at 5:41 pm

      Hi David, you were right! We began testing donor’s blood for Zika in September, and, to date, there are no confirmed positive test results.

  • Brock Cline Reply September 8, 2016 at 10:11 am

    If I’m taking pain meds for a fall that I had, can I still donate?

    • Carter BloodCare Reply October 20, 2016 at 11:33 am

      Hi Brock! Most medications are acceptable for donation, but please visit our Eligibility page for a list of ones that will not permit you to donate.

  • Monty Reply September 24, 2016 at 10:01 am

    Do you test psa when giving blood

    • Carter BloodCare Reply October 20, 2016 at 11:49 am

      Hi Monty, please call our Donor Notification Department at 817-412-5830 if you have questions on the screening. Thanks!

  • miguel Reply September 14, 2017 at 3:45 pm

    im glad they do a full check up in the blood before its using in a transfucion

    • Carter BloodCare Reply October 10, 2017 at 12:11 pm

      Absolutely! We always ensure all donated blood is safe for transfusion before it’s utilized by our hospital partners for patients in need.

  • Shiva Reply November 17, 2017 at 5:50 am

    I need a clarification that if we want to donate the blood to a person they will check our blood and they will confirm whether the person can donate the blood or not my doubt is in this blood test they will test the HIV TEST I need this clarification y Iam asking means I’m getting married in 6 months I don’t want to cheat a woman without testing HIV TEST if they test in this blood test

    • Carter BloodCare Reply January 3, 2018 at 4:30 pm

      The tests we run on the blood does test for HIV. You cannot donate blood if you are HIV positive.

  • MTS Reply March 9, 2018 at 6:22 pm

    Is it true that I can’t donate because I lived in England from 2000-2002?

    • Carter BloodCare Reply March 12, 2018 at 3:00 pm

      You can check eligibility here: http://www.carterbloodcare.org/eligibility/

  • S Reply March 19, 2018 at 9:57 pm

    Do you also test for herpes.

    • Carter BloodCare Reply March 29, 2018 at 9:20 am

      That is not part of our screening process.

  • Jason H Reply May 16, 2018 at 10:37 am

    How far back does contacting the donor go if Hep C is present? My mom gave blood back in 2003, but was recently diagnosed with Hep C. Just trying to figure out some sort of timeline on when she contracted it.

    • Carter BloodCare Reply May 29, 2018 at 6:43 pm

      We do test for Hep C. You can find a list of the tests we run on all donations here: http://www.carterbloodcare.org/you-can-help/donor-guideline-faqs/

  • Brian Reply June 22, 2018 at 7:13 am

    Are the donors received of their testing blood results after donation

    • Carter BloodCare Reply July 2, 2018 at 10:51 pm

      Brian – I’m not sure what you’re asking. Can you please clarify?

  • Jeff Collier Reply July 11, 2018 at 12:17 am

    Thanks for the great information! Blood is perhaps the most important window through which we can peer into a person’s health or illness.

    • Carter BloodCare Reply July 31, 2018 at 11:26 pm

      That’s a unique way of saying it! Quite true.

  • Me Reply July 18, 2018 at 4:14 am

    I donated 3 times before my test results came back how is that? My results came back positive for hep C why did they let me donate 3 times

    • Carter BloodCare Reply July 31, 2018 at 11:25 pm

      Were your previous donations with Carter BloodCare? We test for Hep C every time we accept a donation.

  • R Reply July 23, 2018 at 1:26 pm

    R
    I was turned away from giving blood 15 yrs ago due to a false positive screening. Since then have been tested to make sure it was definitely a false positive. Can I try to give blood again now?

    • Carter BloodCare Reply July 31, 2018 at 11:24 pm

      You can check your eligibility here: http://www.carterbloodcare.org/eligibility/
      If your question isn’t answered, there’s a number at the bottom you can call.

  • Mikayla Durham Reply August 13, 2018 at 4:51 am

    Hi! If tested positive for pregnancy, will I be notified?

    • Carter BloodCare Reply September 24, 2018 at 5:12 pm

      We do not test for pregnancy.

  • Fatiha D Reply September 5, 2018 at 12:38 pm

    Hi.. I recently gave blood as well as years ago and both times my ONeg donations were rejected by the screening despite ticking all the boxes for donations. I’m healthy,not on meďs, non smoker, no alcohol, no past illnesses, 1 partner since always…i just don’t understand.. No health issues have been detected in bloods..no infections.. it just wouldn’t pass the screening tests once again. I’m so disappointed and worried… could u explain why this can happen?!

    • Carter BloodCare Reply September 14, 2018 at 12:08 pm

      We can’t access your records here, but you’re welcome to call a Donor Advocate to discuss. 877-351-3600

  • Maria Reply November 17, 2018 at 1:50 am

    If I’ve donated blood before and got called again to donate blood does that mean that my blood was good and that I don’t have HIV?

    • Carter BloodCare Reply November 20, 2018 at 1:23 pm

      Please call the number on the post-donation card to inquire about test results. Thanks for giving!

  • briitney davis Reply December 10, 2018 at 6:20 pm

    You stated that you often check for STDS. How quickly does it take for STDS to show up if you donate 2xs a week.

    • Carter BloodCare Reply December 24, 2018 at 12:50 pm

      Briitney – We always do an STD check, but we don’t have any donations that can be done twice a week. Please consult a physician about a potential contraction.

  • Toni Reply December 30, 2018 at 10:52 am

    How can I find out my blood type if I’ve donated more than 3 years ago and also am living outside of the country?

    • Carter BloodCare Reply January 2, 2019 at 5:10 pm

      You can call us at 800-366-2834 or sign in to find out your type if you donated with us.
      https://ww2.greatpartners.org/donor/auth/signin

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