Animal Bite

Must not donate if:
a) Ever bitten by a non-human primate.

b) Any wound is infected or not healed.

c) Less than 24 months since bitten anywhere in the world by a bat or by any other mammal outside of the British Isles.

Human Bite
Infection - General
Rabies Immunization

Being bitten by a non-human primate should result in permanent deferral. Risks include simian T-lymphotropic virus, Herpes B, simian foamy virus and other as yet unknown viruses. Non-human primates include chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, gibbons, monkeys (old and new world), tarsiers, lemurs and lorises.

Animal bites may result in many different infections. Allowing all wounds to heal and for any obvious infection to have resolved should avoid problems. 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. For this reason there are different rules for material that may contain nervous system tissue.

Anyone who has been in unusual contact with a bat, such as handling a sick or injured bat, or woken to find that a bat has been with them while asleep, 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.

To extend the deferral period following being bitten by a bat or other mammal outside of the UK from 12 to 24 months, and to provide more information on the potential risks resulting from non-human primate bites. To provide a detailed definition of a non-human primate.