A donor who has had malaria can transmit malaria to someone who receives that donor’s blood. The donor may have been asymptomatic for many years. To reduce the risk for this the donor is deferred for a period of time, depending on the donor’s history.
Donor selection: nonendemic country
Donor Situation
Deferral
history of malaria
3 years after last episode AND asymptomatic in the interval
travel to region endemic for malaria AND not from a region endemic for malaria
12 months from leaving endemic region AND asymptomatc in the interval
lived in a region endemic for malaria >= 5 years
3 years after leaving endemic region AND asymptomatic in the interval
lived in a region endemic for malaria >= 5 years AND lived >= 3 consecutive years in a nonendemic country
3 years after leaving endemic region AND asymptomatic in the interval
lived in a region endemic for malaria >= 5 years AND lived >= 3 consecutive years in a nonendemic country AND traveled to an endemic country
12 months from leaving region AND asymptomatc in the interval
where:
• A person who lived 4 years and 11 months in an endemic region would have the same deferral a visitor.
• A person without consecutive years of residence in an endemic country could have the same deferral as a visitor.
The use of antimalarial prophylaxis does not change the deferral period although it would reduce the chances of transmission.
PCR and other testing is now available to detect malaria in donor blood but testing has not been approved for this purpose.
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