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# Porphyria - Whole blood and components

## Essential information

Obligatory

  Must not donate if:

  Suffers from porphyria.

Discretionary

  If the potential donor suffers from acute porphyria, acute intermittent porphyria (AIP), varigate porphyria (VP) or hereditary coproporphyria (HCP), it is 12 months or more since their last acute attack and they have no current skin lesions, accept.

## Supporting information

See if relevant
  - Hepatitis
Additional information

  Acute porphyrias (AIP, VP and HCP) may be associated with skin lesions and raised blood porphyrins independently of acute attacks. Theoretically the recipient of the blood could develop skin lesions, and we therefore exclude anyone with active skin lesions.

  Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is almost always an acquired condition associated with underlying liver disease, usually hepatitis of viral or unknown origin. These patients are often treated by venesection, however because of the risk of transmission of the agent that caused the condition the blood is not suitable for transfusion.

  With erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) and congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP), the patient is often anaemic because of the condition. Also in these conditions there are porphyrins in the red cells and red cell life span is reduced so the blood is not suitable for donation.

Reason for change:
  This is a new entry.
Version details:

  WB-DSG Edition 203 Release 05 (07 June 2011)

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