Question
How long after a potential exposure can I donate blood?
9 February 2008. Related: All topics.
Will it be okay to donated blood after 1 year and half from being raped.
All tests were negative with ELISA and western blot, RNA and HIV DNA by PCR (viral load).
Answer
This is the first time I’ve been asked this.
Most countries have their own guidelines for blood donation. Sometimes these exclude people even if they are HIV negative, even if it doesn’t seem fair or rational.
Even though Western blood collections screen blood for HIV, you may still want to check with your collection centre.
However, the good news is that your tests all confirm that you do not have HIV, and so should expect to continue with your life without this additional difficulty.
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