Scabies, crab lice, lice and pinworms

Scabies, crab lice and lice are parasitic insects that live on the skin. They cause local inflammation but do not spread other diseases or occur in the bloodstream. Pinworms are helminths that causes local symptoms at the entrance to the anus. None of these superficial diseases are transmitted by blood. Blood can be donated once the symptoms have subsided.

If scabies is treated by oral antibiotics, blood can be donated at the earliest two weeks after the end of the course. Local treatments for scabies, crab lice or lice do not prevent blood donation.

Medications used in the treatment of pinworms do not as such present an obstacle for blood donation.

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.).