American soldiers cannot donate blood

1992/02/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna

Officials of the American blood banks have highlighted in a recent meeting the need to care more than ever for the safety and quality of blood.

From 1985 to the present day, due to AIDS, drastic measures have been taken in the blood banks. Between these and the last measure so far is that the soldier who has participated in the Gulf War in the last fifteen months will not be able to donate blood for the moment.

The reason for this decision was the contagion of 22 US soldiers because of a disease called leishmaniobra. This disease is carried by flies and transmitted by man through the blood.

Of the 22 military 15 have conquered superficial leishmaniobra and 5 of the remaining 7 have already begun to work.

At this time there are no easy tests to detect and the incubation period can be two years.

The prohibition of donating blood is for 500,000 people, but since the U.S. army has another 1,500,000 people, there seems to be no shortage in blood banks.

However, the alarm has also emerged in other states that have participated in the Gulf War, which have not taken additional measures.