Guest guest Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Blood transfusions 'may spread BSE' Saturday 07 February 2004, 10:21 Makka Time, 7:21 GMT At least 153 Mad Cow cases have been reported worldwide Related: Japan wants 'trustworthy' mad cow testing Canada rebuffs US mad cow claims British lab confirms US mad cow case Tools: Email Article Print Article Send Your Feedback Scientists have found new evidence suggesting that the human form of Mad Cow disease could be spread through blood transfusions. Two studies published in The Lancet medical journal in Britain show infection through blood is a possible route of transmission. The UK had announced last December what it said could be the world's first case of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) spread by transfusion, following the death of an unidentified patient several years after receiving blood from a donor later found to have had the illness. UK Health Secretary John Reid said at the time it was not certain whether the patient had been infected through the transfusion or by eating meat infected with Mad Cow disease. New findings But Professor Robert Will of the National CJD Surveillance Unit at Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland said transfusion could have been the cause. "Our findings raise the possibility that his infection was transfusion-transmitted," Professor Will said. Variant CJD is the human equivalent of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) or Mad Cow disease, an incurable degenerative brain disorder linked to eating meat infected with BSE. After studying blood donation records and the details of the case, Will and his team said the patient was much older than most vCJD sufferers and the odds of it not being through a transfusion were about one in 15,000-30,000. Second study In a separate study in the journal, scientists at the department of medical research at the French Atomic Energy Commission found that the macaque monkey can be infected with BSE orally or intravenously. Based on their findings, they said blood transfusion should be regarded as a "likely route of contamination for vCJD patients with a medical history involving a transfusion during the period of risk." Up to December 2003, 153 cases of vCJD had been reported worldwide. http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/E01E9EE2-D3B2-43CE-AFEC-9C6BC82B23BC.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 I regularly donate blood here in WALES, and part of the questionnaire includes family history regarding CJD, I beleive that they may start testing donations also. I would recommend everyone to donate blood ( unless of course you have a medical condition that could be passed on by blood). In the UK it is voluntary and no money changes hands (unlike in the states), and as a result there are regular shortages. Without getting too heavy, if you care about your fellow man ( woman ) give blood, and sign up for bone marrow too! If I can part with some, I`m sure everyone can ( 48th donation this week) The valley vegan, going off at a tangient as usual........ > Blood transfusions 'may spread BSE' > > >Saturday 07 February 2004, 10:21 Makka Time, 7:21 GMT > > >At least 153 Mad Cow cases have been reported worldwide > > > > >Related: > Japan wants 'trustworthy' mad cow testing > Canada rebuffs US mad cow claims > British lab confirms US mad cow case > > > >Tools: > Email Article > Print Article > Send Your Feedback > > > > >Scientists have found new evidence suggesting that the human form of Mad Cow >disease could be spread through blood transfusions. > > Two studies published in The Lancet medical journal in Britain show >infection through blood is a possible route of transmission. > > The UK had announced last December what it said could be the world's first >case of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) spread by transfusion, >following the death of an unidentified patient several years after receiving blood >from a donor later found to have had the illness. > > UK Health Secretary John Reid said at the time it was not certain whether >the patient had been infected through the transfusion or by eating meat infected >with Mad Cow disease. > > New findings > > But Professor Robert Will of the National CJD Surveillance Unit at Western >General Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland said transfusion could have been the >cause. > > " Our findings raise the possibility that his infection was >transfusion-transmitted, " Professor Will said. > > Variant CJD is the human equivalent of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy >(BSE) or Mad Cow disease, an incurable degenerative brain disorder linked to >eating meat infected with BSE. > >After studying blood donation records and the details of the case, Will and >his team said the patient was much older than most vCJD sufferers and the odds >of it not being through a transfusion were about one in 15,000-30,000. > > Second study > > In a separate study in the journal, scientists at the department of medical >research at the French Atomic Energy Commission found that the macaque monkey >can be infected with BSE orally or intravenously. > > Based on their findings, they said blood transfusion should be regarded as a " likely route of contamination for vCJD patients with a medical history >involving a transfusion during the period of risk. " > > Up to December 2003, 153 cases of vCJD had been reported worldwide. > ><a Target='_new' Href='http://talk21.btopenworld.com/redirect.html?http://english.aljazeera.net/N\ R/exeres/E01E9EE2-D3B2-43CE-AFEC-9C6BC82B23BC.ht'>http://english.aljazeera.net/N\ R/exeres/E01E9EE2-D3B2-43CE-AFEC-9C6BC82B23BC.ht</a> >m Peter H -------------------- talk21 your FREE portable and private address on the net at http://www.talk21.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2004 Report Share Posted February 21, 2004 I donate blood regularly in Arizona USA (they don't pay most people here either) and the list of questions they ask keeps getting longer and they do check the blood before it's used. My favorite (?) question is: Have you ever had sex with anyone who's had sex with anyone who might have AIDS, CJD etc.? Right. Like I would know! , swpgh01@t... wrote: > I regularly donate blood here in WALES, and part of the questionnaire includes family history regarding CJD, I beleive that they may start testing donations also. > I would recommend everyone to donate blood ( unless of course you have a medical condition that could be passed on by blood). In the UK it is voluntary and no money changes hands (unlike in the states), and as a result there are regular shortages. Without getting too heavy, if you care about your fellow man ( woman ) give blood, and sign up for bone marrow too! > > > >Scientists have found new evidence suggesting that the human form of Mad Cow > >disease could be spread through blood transfusions. > > > > Two studies published in The Lancet medical journal in Britain show > >infection through blood is a possible route of transmission. > > > > The UK had announced last December what it said could be the world's first > >case of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) spread by transfusion, > >following the death of an unidentified patient several years after receiving blood > >from a donor later found to have had the illness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2004 Report Share Posted February 21, 2004 In a message dated 2/20/04 11:28:33 PM Pacific Standard Time, rachel writes: Have you ever had sex with anyone who's had sex with anyone who might have AIDS, CJD etc.? Right. Like I would know! welcome to the nw millenium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2004 Report Share Posted February 21, 2004 When I last gave blood at St Geoges hospital,London,England. They weren't taking blood off anyone from Africa, regardless of colour. Aids must be really bad there. There is an artificial blood they can use, but it's more expensive than human blood, they give it to JV's.> I donate blood regularly in Arizona USA (they don't pay most people here either) and the list of questions they ask keeps getting longer and they do check the blood before it's used. My favorite (?) question is: Have you ever had sex with anyone who's had sex with anyone who might have AIDS, CJD etc.? Right. Like I would know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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