I have been an avid blood donor for years. When I found out that I had herpes I called the donor room to find out if I could still donate. They told me that as long as I was not having an outbreak and not on suppressives that it would be fine. What are your views on this? I don't know how we can have this virus, but donating wouldn't pass it along. Let me know if anyone else is a donor and how it has worked for you.

Herpes is not a blood disease. It's a virus from other bodily fluids. Hince the fact you can donate blood and work in an environment such as a hospital without being tested for it.

Herpes is not a blood disease. It's a virus from other bodily fluids. Hince the fact you can donate blood and work in an environment such as a hospital without being tested for it.

Herpes is transmitted not by bodily fluids, but by skin to skin contact.

It's not swimming around in your bloodstream, but rather, hiding out in your ganglia and using the nerves during breakouts.

Okay, thanks for easing my mind. I was a little worried about infecting someone else this way, even though I didn't receive it from blood, but through skin to skin contact.

I had seen some posters say that that had a blood test to determine they had the herpes virus, but my doctor didn't diagnose me this way, he swabbed the actual sore itself.

I feel better now. I love doing my part in giving blood. Just hit 3 gallons!!

A blood test would test for antibodies to the virus in the bloodstream, not the virus itself. As another poster said, the virus essentially lives in the nerves.