British Troops In Afghanistan Received Inadequately Tested Blood From US Military

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Main Category: Blood / Hematology
Also Included In: HIV / AIDS;  Liver Disease / Hepatitis;  Public Health
Article Date: 10 Jan 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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Blood that had not been properly tested was given to 18 British troops in Afghanistan. They are all currently undergoing medical checks. The blood came from American personnel. None of the donors has been found to be infected with HIV or hepatitis.

According to the HPA (Health Protection Agency, UK) there are also six British civilians in Afghanistan who may have received contaminated blood from the American military. According to the Ministry of Defence, without the transfusions the soldiers may have died, and the risk of infection was very low. Nevertheless, the American donors did not have valid retrospective tests to check for diseases.

The 18 soldiers, who have been serving in Afghanistan since 2001, are now being tested for

-- HIV
-- Hepatitis B and C
-- HTLV
-- Chagas disease
-- Syphilis

Douglas Young, Chairman, British Armed Forces Federation, said in a BBC interview "If the necessary testing couldn't take place before the blood was given at all, then clearly there should have been what is called retrospective testing, where the donors or the blood batches are checked to ensure there are no issues involved. Because in some circumstances, if there is a problem, it's as well to know that quickly, because some kinds of treatment may be given that isn't possible a year or two years later."

A spokesman for the US Department of Defense said the US donors had been screened for HIV and hepatitis - none of them was infected with either virus. It is unknown whether they were checked for HTLV, Syphilis or Chagas disease. The test results for the British troops will be available in approximately 20 days.

The Ministry of Defence website wrote "US and UK policy is to use certified blood products in theatre. In emergencies, for example if these supplies have been exhausted, US and UK policy is to use emergency military donor panels in theatre. When emergency blood transfusions are given from this source, both the UK and US retrospectively screen samples of donated blood to check that the emergency blood transfusions were safe. However, the MOD has identified that a small number (18) of UK Service personnel might have received blood or blood products from US emergency donor panels that might not have had a valid retrospective test. Without a valid retrospective test, there is a small risk that an emergency blood transfusion could transfer blood-borne disease from the donor to the recipient without being detected. We are therefore repeating retrospective tests for these few cases as a sensible reassurance measure. All of the UK Service personnel who might be affected - or if appropriate their next of kin - have now been contacted and informed of the need to re-test their blood, have been offered the necessary tests, and are being given support and advice."

Under Secretary of State for Defence (UK), Derek Twigg, said "These 18 Service personnel would almost certainly have died without receiving an emergency blood transfusion at the front line. The Defence Secretary acted quickly to ensure that those British Service personnel involved were informed as quickly as possible. The actual risk of any infection is low - however we are taking it extremely seriously. We are working with the appropriate health authorities to do all that we can to test and reassure the people involved. We are, and will continue to do, all that we can to support them and their families through this uncertain time."

UK Service Personnel reassured over US Blood Transfusions
Ministry of Defence

Written by - Christian Nordqvist
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