Blood transfusions may be required for some of the most serious medical conditions, such as when there has been a massive loss of blood through injury, or to treat severe blood diseases. A blood transfusion can be a life-saving procedure when administered correctly, and blood donation can be a relatively easy way for you to help doctors treat patients and save lives.
The blood used for transfusions is carefully screened to make sure that it is free from disease. If tainted blood is used for a transfusion, the patient can be infected, which can greatly affect his or her quality of life and, if severe, can lead to death. Unfortunately, even with the rigorous screening process, the often desperate situations that require blood transfusions can occasionally cause tainted blood to be administered. Some of the most common diseases transferred this way include:
· Hepatitis B, or HBV. A blood-borne sexually transmitted disease, Hepatitis B can cause inflammation of the liver, jaundice, and vomiting. If untreated, it can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, and, eventually, death. While the human body can spontaneously clear the infection, chronic infection can lead to the more serious symptoms.
· Hepatitis C, or HCV. Hepatitis C has few early symptoms, and can go undetected for years. It will, however, eventually result in cirrhosis of the liver, liver scarring (fibrosis), and even liver cancer. If untreated, it can be fatal. About 51% overall are cured.
· Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV. HIV is a disease that gradually breaks down the body's immune system. While not fatal itself, it opens the door to countless opportunistic infections and diseases which can be. In most victims, HIV eventually progresses to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS. These diseases are fatal.
· Human T-lymphotropic Virus, or HTLV-1. A retrovirus common in Japan and the Caribbean, HTLV-1 will eventually cause T-cell leukemia, a potentially fatal cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
· Cryoglobulinemia. Cryoglobulinemia is associated with Hepatitis C and multiple myeloma, a cancer of the white blood cells. Like many of the other diseases on this list, it can signal the presence of another serious illness.