GlossaryA List of Commonly Used Terms in Blood Banking
To the FDA, a “traveler” is someone who is in an area for “more than 24 hours to less than 5 years” (as defined in the 2013 FDA malaria guidance). It seems weird that a blood bank web site would be defining the word “traveler,” doesn’t it? This definition is vital, however, in determining donor eligibility of people who leave the United States. This definition applies to those who enter areas where malaria is considered endemic by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The definition excludes those who simply drive, cruise, or fly through an at-risk area of a particular country. Travelers to malaria-endemic areas are deferred from blood donation for a period of one year from the date that they leave. Please contrast this definition with that of a “Resident” of a malaria-endemic country.
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