1. Affected Individual

 PERMANENTLY EXCLUDE:

• If donor had hepatitis C infection, at any age; even if they were successfully treated, cleared the virus and is now PCR negative
• If donor is positive for hepatitis C by serology and / or PCR

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a serious infection that can lead to chronic liver disease, liver cancer (hepatoma) and chronic fatigue syndrome. It has also been linked with malignant lymphoma and auto-immune disease. The infection has been transmitted by blood transfusions. Individual who are chronically infected are sometimes referred to as carriers’. They often have no, or minimal, symptoms associated with their infection. Cases have occurred due to intravenous use of recreational drugs. Cases also occurred due to infected anti-D immunoglobulin, or to blood transfusions before the introduction of hepatitis C testing. Individuals who have cleared the virus naturally or who have been successfully treated with anti-viral therapy will still be HCV antibody positive; therefore they are not eligible to donate blood

 2. Current sexual partner of the donor has hepatitis C and is PCR positive

 PERMANENTLY EXCLUDE:

• If donor’s current sexual partner has hepatitis and is PCR positive

 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Hepatitis C can be transmitted sexually from an infected person to their sexual partner. The risk is low, but is not zero

3. Former sexual partner of the donor had hepatitis C and was PCR positive at the time of the last sexual contact

 DEFER:

• For 4 months from the date of the last sexual contact

4. Current sexual partner of the donor cleared the virus naturally (i.e. without anti-viral treatment)

 DEFER & REFER:

If the donor’s sexual partner is:

• Hepatitis C antibody positive and PCR negative i.e. HCV ab pos and PCR neg
• Two negative PCR results were documented a minimum of 6 months apart
• He/she cleared the virus NATURALLY i.e. did NOT require anti-viral treatment

ACTION:

• Defer the donor & Refer to a Specialist Medical Officer. Complete a Donor Confidential Form, including all relevant details of the contact e.g. name and address of the contact, source of infection, date of infection, dates of contact with the donor e.g. before or after the infection was cleared, and refer to the Specialist Medical Officer

When referring to a Specialist Medical Officer, obtain the following details from the donor:

 Name and address of the sexual partner

 The source of sexual partner’s infection

 When sexual partner became infected with hepatitis C

 When sexual partner cleared the infection with hepatitis C virus

 Confirm if the donor and their partner were sexually active at the time of the acute infection/after the infection etc

 Explain to the donor that they cannot donate until/unless information has been obtained from their sexual partner’s GP. Advise the

    donor to inform their sexual partner of this

 Advise the donor a medical assessment of their eligibility to donate will be made at the NBC/MRTC after the relevant information has

     been received

MEDICAL ASSESSMENT:

If it is established, that the donor’s sexual partner cleared the virus naturally, the donor can donate 4 months after their sexual partner cleared the virus

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

If the donor’s sexual partner cleared the virus naturally (and this has been confirmed with 2 negative PCR tests at least 6 months apart), the risk that they will relapse and transmit hepatitis C to the donor is remote

5. Former sexual partner of the donor cleared the virus naturally (i.e. without anti-viral treatment)

 DEFER:

• For 4 months from the date of the last sexual contact

6. Current sexual partner of the donor required anti-viral treatment to clear the virus

PERMANENTLY EXCLUDE:

• If donor is a current sexual partner of an affected individual who had hepatitis C and required anti-viral treatment to clear the virus

7. Former sexual partner of the donor required anti-viral treatment to clear the virus

DEFER:

• For 4 months from the date of last sexual contact

8. Current household contact of the donor has hepatitis C and is PCR positive

PERMANTENTLY EXCLUDE:

• If the donor is a current household of an infected individual who has hepatitis C and is PCR positive

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Household contacts are defined as: permanent residents of the household. The risk relates to items that may contain trace amounts of blood such as toothbrushes, scissors, razors and tweezers. Hepatitis C is neither contagious not spread by the faecal-oral route. It is usually only spread through a direct blood to blood route, but it has been spread through household contact. The risk of transmitting hepatitis C by household contact is very low, but is not zero

Visitors to the household are not defined as household contacts. This includes family members who are not permanent members of the household. However, all visitors should be asked if they have shared items of risk (including inadvertently) and accepted or deferred based on their response

9. Former household contact of the donor had hepatitis C and was PCR positive at the time of the last contact

 DEFER:

• For 4 months from the date of last contact

10. Current household contact of the donor cleared the virus naturally (i.e. without antiviral treatment)

If the donor’s household contact is:

 Hepatitis C antibody positive and PCR negative i.e. HCV ab pos and PCR neg

 Two negative PCR results were documented a minimum of 6 months apart

 They cleared the virus NATURALLY i.e. did NOT require anti-viral treatment

ACTION:

• Defer the donor & Refer to a Specialist Medical Officer. Complete a Donor Confidential Form, including all relevant details of the contact e.g. name and address of the contact, source of infection, date of infection, dates of contact with the donor e.g. before or after the infection was cleared, and refer to the Specialist Medical Officer

 When referring to a Specialist Medical Officer, obtain the following details from the donor:

 Name and address of the household contact

 The source of household’s infection

 When household  became infected with hepatitis C

 When household  cleared the infection with hepatitis C virus

 Confirm if the donor and their household were living together at the time of the acute infection/after the infection etc

 Explain to the donor that they cannot donate until/unless information has been obtained from their household ’s GP. Advise the  

     donor to inform their household of this

 Advise the donor a medical assessment of their eligibility to donate will be made at the NBC/MRTC after the relevant information has

     been received

MEDICAL ASSESMENT:

If it is established, that the donor’s household contact cleared the virus naturally, the donor can donate 4 months after their household contact cleared the virus

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

If the donor’s household contact cleared the virus naturally (and this has been confirmed with 2 negative PCR tests at least 6 months apart), the risk that they will relapse and transmit hepatitis C to the donor is remote

11. Former household contact of the donor cleared the virus naturally (i.e. without antiviral treatment)

 DEFER:

• For 4 months from the date of the last contact

12. Current household contact of the donor required anti-viral treatment to clear the Virus

 PERMANTENTLY EXCLUDE:

• If donor is a current household of an affected individual who had hepatitis C and required anti-viral treatment to clear the virus

13. Former household contact of the donor required anti-viral treatment to clear the Virus

 DEFER:

• For 4 months from the date of the last contact

14. Any other current contact – the donor is in contact that is not sexual and not household contact with a person who has hepatitis C e.g. social contact

ACCEPT:

• As long as the donor has not suffered an inoculation injury

15. Any other former contact – the donor was in contact that is not sexual and not household contact with a person who has hepatitis C e.g. social contact

 ACCEPT:

• As long as the donor has not suffered an inoculation injury