Insect and tick bite

In most cases, being bitten or stung by a mosquito, horsefly, wasp or some other “bug” does not prevent blood donation. Also, an asymptomatic tick bite does not prevent blood donation.

However, an exceptionally violent reaction to an insect bite (symptoms including fever, extensive swelling and pain, nausea or suppuration of the bite location), causes a two-week obstacle to donation.

If a rash has developed around the tick bite (a “circular rash”), you must wait for two weeks after the rash has healed or the course of drug therapy has ended before you can donate blood.

You may not donate blood for two weeks if you have suffered an exceptionally strong reaction caused by an insect sting or bite, which has required adrenaline or a cortisone tablet or antibiotics prescribed by a doctor.

Lyme disease with general symptoms results in a three-month donation deferral period from the end of symptoms.

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.).