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

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Hepatitis A

1. Affected Individual
Obligatory	Must not donate if: Less than 6 months from recovery
Discretionary	If less than 6 months from infection, but fully recovered, documented HAV RNA negative and anti HAV IgG positive after recovery, accept.
See if Relevant	Travel
Additional Information	Hepatitis A is spread by the faecal - oral route and by sewage-contaminated food and water. It can also be spread sexually. There is no long term infection with the virus but there are many reports of transmission by transfusion. Infection may be symptom free but can be serious and occasionally fatal. The Blood Services do not test for this infection.
Reason for Change	To clarify the wording of the discretionary entry.

2. Current or Former Sexual Partner of Affected Individual
Obligatory	Must not donate if: Less than 6 months from recovery of current sexual partner, or from last sexual contact if a former sexual partner.
Discretionary	If shown to be immune, accept.
Additional Information	There is a risk of transmitting the infection through sexual activity. Infection may be symptom free but can be serious and occasionally fatal. The 6 month exclusion allows any infection to run its natural course and for any risk of passing the infection on through donation to have passed.
Reason for Change	To permit acceptance of donors who are shown to be immune.

3. Person Currently or Formerly Sharing a Home with an Affected Individual
Obligatory	Must not donate if: Less than 6 months from recovery of the last affected person in the home, or from the last contact if no longer sharing.
Discretionary	If shown to be immune, accept.
Additional Information	Because hepatitis A is spread by the faecal - oral route household contacts may easily become infected. Infection may be symptom free but can be serious and occasionally fatal. The 6 month exclusion allows any infection to run its natural course and for any risk of passing the infection on through donation to have passed.
Reason for Change	To permit acceptance of donors who are shown to be immune.

4. Immunization
Obligatory	Known exposure. Must not donate if: Less than six months after vaccine or intramuscular immunoglobulin was given.
Discretionary	No known exposure: Accept.
See if Relevant	Hepatitis B - Post Immunization Travel
Additional Information	Hepatitis A immunization is advised before travel to parts of the world where other infections relevant to donating such as malaria are common. The donor should be asked about any relevant travel history. Hepatitis A immunization may be combined with Hepatitis B immunization. If less than 6 months from immunisation following known exposure, the donor may be accepted following individual risk assessment if the risk of delaying transplant outweighs the risk of transmission of hepatitis A.
Reason for Change	The deferral period for immunization post known exposure has been reviewed following guidance from Public Health England.

Update Information: This entry was last updated in
TDSG-BM Edition 203, Release 31