Will my blood be tested now?

We test every donation for HIV, Syphilis, hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus. We also determine blood type, count different blood cells and measure hemoglobin levels.

In case of favorable lab results, we will not notify you. But if the tests show abnormal values that are important for your health, our medical secretariat will inform you in writing. In the letter we will also communicate the test results so that you can use them to consult a doctor. If we detect a recent hepatitis B or West Nile Virus infection, we are required by law to report it to the government, stating your national registration number. We never disclose test results to other people without your permission, not even to your treating physician. In some special cases, the donor center doctor will invite you to discuss the test results in person.

Have we detected abnormal values in your blood? Here is a brief explanation of the results and our laboratory tests.

• Hemoglobin
  Hemoglobin (Hb) is an iron-containing protein in red blood cells that provides oxygen transport between lungs and body cells. Lowered hemoglobin levels can have many causes, including iron deficiency.
• Red blood cells
  Red blood cells (erythrocytes) are nucleeless biconcave discs with hemoglobin as the main component. The volume percentage of red blood cells is called the hematocrit.
• White blood cells
  White blood cells (leukocytes) are part of the immune system. An increase in the number of white blood cells usually means that an infection is present in the body.
• Platelets
  Platelets are small cell fragments in the blood. They, together with clotting factors, ensure adequate hemostasis (hemostasis) during blood loss.
• Total protein
  Plasma proteins make up 6-8% of plasma. The main ones are albumin, globulins and fibrinogen. Albumin helps in transport and exchange at the level of capillaries. Globulins aid in defense, fibrinogen in blood clotting.
• Malaria antibodies
  Malaria is an infectious disease caused by single-celled parasites of the genus Plasmodium. The parasite is transmitted to humans by the malaria mosquito. However, it can also be transmitted through blood transfusion. People who once had malaria and still have antibodies in their blood can carry the malaria parasite inside them for life without being sick themselves. They can, however, continue to transmit the infection through blood.
• Direct antiglobulin test (RAGT) or direct Coombs test (DC)
  The direct Coombs test measures the presence of antibodies attached to red blood cells. This may be caused by medication, viral infections ... but often the cause is unknown. Usually, it is a transient phenomenon. However, the presence of the antibodies interferes with the laboratory tests needed to administer blood to a patient.
• Irregular red blood cell antibodies (OAS)
  Irregular antibodies are not normally present in the blood. They are antibodies to blood groups other than A and B. They arise after pregnancy or transfusion. When administered to certain patients, they can trigger an unwanted - sometimes severe - reaction. For the donor, these antibodies are important in pregnancy or transfusion.
• HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis
  The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects certain white blood cells and weakens resistance to pathogens. HIV infection can eventually lead to AIDS.
• The hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the hepatitis C virus (HCV) cause an inflammatory reaction at the level of the liver (hepatitis). The disease course can range from asymptomatic to very severe.
• Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum.
• With every donation, we detect markers of HIV, HBV , HCV and syphilis. In the early stages of infection, the concentrations of the markers are often so low that they fall below the detection limit of the test. Therefore, it is important to report certain situations that may involve exposure to one of named pathogens.
• aHBc (Hepatitis B core antibodies)
  The presence of hepatitis B core antibodies in the blood indicates that there has ever been an infection with the hepatitis B virus. Blood containing the antibodies should not be administered to patients.
• aHBs
  Those antibodies can arise after natural infection or after vaccination. They indicate immunity to the HBV.

Then you can contact our medical secretariat:

• For East & West Flanders: medischsecretariaat.gent@rodekruis.be or 09 244 56 65.
• For other regions: medischsecretariaat.mechelen@rodekruis.be or 015 44 57 44.

If the laboratory tests show abnormalities that make the donation unsuitable for patients, the donation is destroyed. This certainly happens if the donation contains, among other things, viruses or bacteria that could infect the recipient's blood. For example, the hepatitis B and C virus, HIV virus or syphilis. In such a case, we naturally inform the donor of the abnormal results. We are also required to permanently exclude the person as a donor. Blood products that are not adequate for transfusion can sometimes be very useful for other purposes such as scientific and epidemiological research. Of course, this is always done anonymously. The same also applies to residual samples from each donation. We ask donors' permission for this on the front of the medical questionnaire.