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Before I went to Africa I donated my rare blood type all the time.

Now they don't want it from me.

Are there private blood banks where I can store mine in case I need it in the future.

What do all of you do about blood donating after traveling to Africa?

Never heard of such a thing. I've been three times and still continue to donate even after having had tick fever on my second trip. Did you bring something bad home with you?

Mike

No - they just ask if you have been to Africa, and when you answer honestly they wont let you donate.

As God is my witness I've never been asked since my first trip in 2001 by the Red Cross.

Mike

I travel quite extensively for work throughout Mexico. A Red Cross station always asked about my foreign travel, but none of them come up on the hit list. I am traveling to RSA next August and the question was posed to one of the workers at a center. They said that South Africa is not on the list to prohibit blood donations.

Here is what I found on the Red Cross site:
"Wait 12 months after travel in an area where malaria is found. Wait 3 years after living in a country or countries where malaria is found. Learn more about malaria and where it is found.

Wait 12 months after travel to Iraq. This requirement is related to concerns about Leishmanaisis.
Persons who have spent long periods of time in countries where "mad cow disease" is found are not eligible to donate. This requirement is related to concerns about variant Creutzfeld Jacob Disease (vCJD). Learn more about vCJD and donation.

Persons who were born in or who lived in certain countries in Western Africa, or who have had close contact with persons who were born in or who lived in certain West African countries are not eligible to donate. This requirement is related to concerns about HIV Group O. Learn more about HIV Group O, and the specific African countries where it is found."

And specifically the Western African Countries:
"Persons who were born in or lived in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Niger and Nigeria since 1977 cannot be blood donors."

Same with me, they won't take my blood the minute the find out I have been to "Africa".

Over here the blood bank will not take my blood if I have been to a malaria region within the last 6 months of whatever date I am about to donate blood. Malaria pops up roughly 2 weeks after you have been infected showing flu-like symptoms.

Thus far the blood in my brandy stream seems not to have attracted malaria and I am thankful.

BOWHUNR, that's odd. The Red Cross has me read a printed list of restrictions that includes Africa travel, then asks that question again via a computerized survey. Travel to Africa within (I think) two years disqualifies you from giving blood to the Red Cross. Period.

Here's a small part of their restrictions list:

Wait 12 months after travel in an area where malaria is found. Wait 3 years after living in a country or countries where malaria is found. Learn more about malaria and where it is found.

Wait 12 months after travel to Iraq. This requirement is related to concerns about Leishmanaisis.
Persons who have spent long periods of time in countries where "mad cow disease" is found are not eligible to donate. This requirement is related to concerns about variant Creutzfeld Jacob Disease (vCJD). Learn more about vCJD and donation.

Persons who were born in or who lived in certain countries in Western Africa, or who have had close contact with persons who were born in or who lived in certain West African countries are not eligible to donate. This requirement is related to concerns about HIV Group O.

I also had to stop donating blood due to my regular trips to Africa. Malaria is the cause. I was told that you can carry the virus for a year or more and never show any symptoms. I also was told it is difficult to test for the virus so they simply screen us folks out.

Maybe I will go to the Halloween Blood Drive again this year and see if they are more reasonable this time.

My daughter has had leukemia twice and we tried to donate but were denied by the Red Cross and the hospital. Since I go to Africa and take a malaria prophylaxis every year, I will never be able to donate, but my wife can since she hasn't been for the last 2 years.

Sisk,
Whole blood can only be stored for use at a max of about 40days, frozen for a year and plasma storage can vary depending if your talking complete plasma or broken down into components.

What is your type? If you are common carrier they will not take the time to screen you for malaria but if you are rare enough, the Red Cross has a rare donor program with extra screening processes.