Thomas Guzman was the recipient of a troubling letter after receiving a blood transfusion in November of 2012.
“The report from the operations is just as bad,” says Guzman. “I’m trying to figure out what they’re talking about.”
The letter informed Guzman that the blood donor has tested positive for Hepatitis B and Guzman would need to be tested as well in case he was infected during the transfusion.
“I was surprised,” says Guzman. “Maybe we Canadians live in a little bubble.”
According to Canadian Blood Services officials, blood products of any kind carry a minimal risk, but there have been no reports of the transmission of Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C in the last 10 years.
Canadian Blood Services rigorously tests every blood donation, but the tests are not foolproof.
“If you became infected with a virus today, and you donated blood tomorrow, it wouldn't be picked up by the laboratory tests,” explains Dr. Dale Towns of Canadian Blood Services. “That's just too short of a period of time in the body for the lab tests to pick it up.”
Guzman has tested negative for Hepatitis B.
Canadian Blood Services say the fact blood donation testing is not 100 per cent accurate is the reason they ask screening questions before accepting a donor.
With files from CTV's Karen Owen
