Serving in Iraq Prevents Sailors from Donating Blood for One Year

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=10454

By Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Sailors and Marines who served in Iraq will not be able to give blood for one year after leaving that country. The restriction was put in place by the Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) to safeguard the military’s blood supply after several service members in Iraq were diagnosed with leishmaniasis. Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease spread by the bite of infected sand flies.

ASBP manages the blood program for the Department of Defense and provides blood products to support worldwide military operations. The restriction applies to the entire country of Iraq and to all who travel there.

“There has always been country and travel restrictions that ban certain groups of people from giving blood. Different countries have different risks for diseases. Most people are familiar with the Food and Drug Administration’s restrictions for people who travel to the U.K. and were potentially exposed to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, also known as Mad Cow disease. There are similar restrictions for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-affected areas and malaria-affected areas. The leishmaniasis ban is for a specific geographic area and affects all military personnel who have traveled to Iraq,” said Cmdr. Michael Libby, director of the Navy Blood Program.

“The impact on Naval Medicine’s blood supply is difficult to project at this time. We do know that 20 percent of the military donate blood so the loss of donors could be significant,” added Libby.
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Sand fleas is the only thing you're worried about? Nothing to do with all the innoculations or possible exposure to other things?

[Pale_Rider]

1. I can never give blood again ...

... since I spent more than 6 months in Europe during the Mad Cow crisis. Much more severe that the one year ban for leishmaniasis.

http://www.redcross.org/press/biomed/bm_pr/010823defer.html

Beginning mid-October, the American Red Cross will exclude from giving blood anyone who has spent more than 3 months cumulative time in the United Kingdom since 1980; more than 6 months cumulative time in any European country since 1980; or received a blood transfusion in the United Kingdom since 1980. There is no blood test for the human form of mad cow disease, which has been shown to be transmissible by blood in laboratory mice and hamsters. These facts, combined with scientific uncertainty, prompted the Red Cross to take a prudent, cautious approach toward variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD).

[Love Bug]

3. I can't give blood either, white_rider

I lived in Germany in for 18 months in '80-'81. You'd think if a person hadn't come down with mad cow in 22 years they'd be ok, right?

[Don_G]

2. I Think Anyone That Serves There Can't Give Blood

I believe they're afraid of a parasite than can get into the bloodstream.