Man with likely vCJD gave blood

THE man diagnosed with a probable case of variant CJD, gave blood in recent weeks following the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) appeal for blood.

Results are expected in the coming days on his second biopsy but sources at the Department of Heath admitted yesterday that a positive diagnosis was “highly likely.”

Variant CJD, or the human form of mad cow disease as it is known, is nearly always associated with eating BSE-infected meat with just over 1.5% of British cases linked to blood supply. It is a fatal degenerative brain disease.

The Minister for Health, Mary Harney has said there is no way to test for vCJD when a person is donating blood but assured patients that the Irish blood supply operates to the highest international standards.

The IBTS also confirmed there are a number of companies working on developing a test, but that “it will be several years before one will be available.”

The man’s blood was given to two people, one of whom died from an unrelated disease. The second is still in a Dublin hospital recovering from an illness.

The second blood recipient was informed yesterday that he had been given the blood of a suspected vCJD victim and is believed to be understandably shocked.

It was confirmed yesterday by the IBTS that the man had only ever given blood once. The IBTS said that while a person is infected but symptom-free, it is possible they may pass on the infection through blood donation.

Just last year, another man in his 20s was diagnosed with the condition at a Dublin hospital. He died recently.