Travel - I have travelled outside Australia. Can I still donate blood?

In most cases, yes. However, travel to an area with a risk of insect-borne or animal-borne infections can result in symptomless infection that can be transmitted through blood transfusion. There are five areas of concern related to infection risks with overseas travel.

These are:

• Malaria
• HIV
• Mad Cow - Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD)
• Dengue Fever
• West Nile Virus

Malaria
Malaria is the most common example of mosquito-borne infection and is prevalent in many tropical and sub-tropical areas. The Blood Service will test your blood donation for malaria antibodies if:

• you have visited a malaria risk country; or
• you have ever lived for 6 or more months in a malaria risk country; or
• you have had malaria in the past.

The test must be performed at least 4 months after you left the risk country or recovered from malaria.

Until your blood can be tested for malaria antibodies, only the plasma portion of your donation can be used and the remainder, which comprises red cells and platelets, is discarded. Find out more about plasma donations.

If you would prefer to make a whole blood donation, please make an appointment no less than 4 months after leaving a malaria risk country so that we can test your donation for malaria antibodies. If you test negative, all components of your donation can be used for patients.

However, this does not apply to travel to Papua New Guinea (PNG) as there is a risk of relapsing malaria in that country. Despite a negative result for malaria antibodies, we will only be able to use the plasma portion of your donation for a period of 3 years on your return from PNG.

If the test is positive you will be notified.

HIV
Some overseas countries have a high prevalence of HIV infection among their general communities. A person who has sex with a person who lives in one of these areas is deferred from donating for a period of 12 months (after the sexual activity, with or without a condom) in order to exclude the possibility of HIV transmission.

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD)
Although the number of cases of vCJD (the human form of 'mad cow disease' or bovine spongiform encephalopathy) in the United Kingdom is declining, in the absence of a screening test, the full extent of exposure is not known.

Since 2004, there have been a small number of reported cases of patients in the United Kingdom (UK) diagnosed with vCJD who have been infected through blood transfusion.

Based on this information, and in the absence of a reliable screening test for vCJD in blood, the Blood Service has implemented policies to reduce the risk of vCJD transmission through blood transfusion in Australia. Currently we exclude people from donating who:

• Have resided in the UK between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1996 for a total (cumulative) time of 6 months or more,

or

• Have received blood transfusions in the UK since 1 January 1980.

Unfortunately, because of the extensive time period covered by the deferral and the possibility of unknowing exposure to beef or beef products, it is not possible to exempt vegetarians who have resided in the UK for a cumulative period of 6 months or more during the risk years.

The Blood Service is monitoring progress in the development of a reliable blood screening test for vCJD. Should this deferral policy be changed for any reason, please be assured that this information will be disseminated widely.

Dengue
This mosquito-borne virus is present in many tropical countries. Following travel to these areas we can use only the plasma portion of your blood for 4 weeks.

West Nile virus
This mosquito-borne virus is prevalent in much of the North American continent. Following travel to the United States and Canada please make your appointment 4 weeks after your return date. 

Take a look at our travellers map
If you have been overseas recently, or are planning to go, take a look at our map to see whether you are able to donate when you return.