Hepatitis A, B, C and E

Hepatitis A (contagious jaundice) means you may not donate blood until six months have passed after your recovery and the end of monitoring.

Having had hepatitis B without being a carrier means you may not donate blood for one to two years. The Blood Service doctor assesses each donor more specifically. Being a hepatitis B carrier means you may not donate blood. In addition, the hepatitis B carrier status of your sex partner or other person living in the same household affects your suitability to donate blood. If the donor has received full vaccination coverage against hepatitis B, the Blood Service consultant can assess the donor’s suitability to donate blood separately.

A hepatitis C infection means you may not donate blood. In addition, if your sex partner has a hepatitis C infection, this prevents you from donating blood. You may donate blood when four months have passed after the end of your sexual relationship. If a person other than your sex partner living in the same household has hepatitis C, this does not prevent you from donating blood. However, a prerequisite for donation is that the donor has not been exposed to the infected person’s blood during the last four months.

Hepatitis E causes a 12-month donation deferral period. Hepatitis E is often asymptomatic.

Would you like more information? Please call the free information number for blood donors on 0800 0 5801 (Mon to Fri from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).