Can Lyme Disease Be Transmitted Through Blood Transfusion?
Lyme disease bacteria can circulate in the bloodstream
Researchers have raised concerns about blood transfusion transmission
The risk remains theoretical but continues to be studied
Can Lyme disease be transmitted through blood transfusion? Researchers have explored this question for years because Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium associated with Lyme disease, can circulate in the blood during infection.
Although transfusion-associated Lyme disease has not been conclusively documented in humans, investigators continue to study whether asymptomatic blood donors could theoretically pose a risk.
Questions about blood donation, plasma donation, and transfusion safety have become increasingly important in regions where Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses are common.
Can Borrelia Be Found in the Bloodstream?
Studies have identified Borrelia burgdorferi in the blood of patients with early Lyme disease using specialized culture methods.
Pavia cited findings by Wormser and colleagues suggesting that Borrelia organisms may circulate intermittently in the bloodstream for several weeks and, in some cases, possibly longer.
This raises an important theoretical concern: could someone unknowingly donate blood while infected?
Why Blood Donation Concerns Exist
Most individuals with active Lyme disease symptoms would likely avoid donating blood. However, some infected individuals may not recognize a tick bite, erythema migrans rash, or early symptoms.
Others may be asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic at the time of donation.
Researchers therefore continue to examine whether blood products could theoretically carry Lyme-related organisms under certain circumstances.
Animal Studies on Blood Transfusion Transmission
Experimental studies in mice demonstrated that Borrelia burgdorferi could be transferred through blood transfusion under laboratory conditions.
Gabitzsch and colleagues reported successful transmission from infected donor mice to uninfected recipients in a model designed to mimic transfusion procedures.
However, investigators still do not know whether the organism survives standard human blood-storage conditions well enough to create meaningful transfusion risk.
What About Other Tick-Borne Infections?
Concerns about transfusion safety are not limited to Lyme disease alone.
Babesia, another tick-borne infection, is well known to be transmissible through blood transfusion and has caused severe illness and death in some recipients.
Researchers have also shown that Borrelia miyamotoi survived under standard blood-storage conditions in experimental models and was capable of infecting mice afterward.
These findings have strengthened interest in understanding transfusion risks associated with tick-borne infections more broadly.
Could Lyme Disease Affect Blood or Plasma Donation?
Many patients ask whether Lyme disease affects eligibility for blood or plasma donation.
Blood donation policies may vary depending on symptoms, timing of infection, treatment status, and blood bank protocols.
Because Lyme disease diagnosis can sometimes be delayed or missed, some researchers argue that ongoing reassessment of donor-screening policies may be appropriate in endemic regions.
Why Additional Research Is Needed
At present, transfusion-associated Lyme disease in humans remains theoretical rather than conclusively proven.
However, researchers continue to emphasize the need for additional studies evaluating:
- Survival of Borrelia organisms in stored blood products
- Potential donor screening approaches
- Risks associated with asymptomatic infection
- Regional blood safety policies in endemic areas
Learn more about Lyme disease test accuracy and diagnostic limitations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Lyme disease be transmitted through blood transfusion?
Researchers consider transfusion-associated Lyme disease theoretically possible, but it has not been conclusively documented in humans.
Can Borrelia bacteria circulate in the bloodstream?
Yes. Studies have identified Borrelia burgdorferi in the blood of some patients with early Lyme disease.
Can someone donate blood if they have Lyme disease?
Blood donation policies may vary depending on symptoms, treatment history, and blood bank guidelines.
Is Babesia transmissible through blood transfusion?
Yes. Babesia is a recognized transfusion-transmitted infection and has caused severe illness in blood recipients.
Why are researchers concerned about asymptomatic blood donors?
Some individuals with Lyme disease may not recognize symptoms or recall a tick bite, raising theoretical concerns about undetected infection during blood donation.
Clinical Takeaway
Researchers continue to investigate whether Lyme disease could theoretically be transmitted through blood transfusion under certain conditions.
Although confirmed human transfusion-associated Lyme disease cases remain unproven, evidence showing Borrelia organisms in blood and experimental animal transmission models has kept the question clinically relevant.
Ongoing research into donor screening, blood safety, and tick-borne coinfections may help clarify future transfusion risks in endemic regions.
Related Articles
These related articles explore Babesia transmission, delayed diagnosis, blood-borne tick infections, and testing limitations.
Transfusion-transmitted babesiosis in the United States
Lyme disease test accuracy
Lyme disease coinfections
Delayed Lyme disease diagnosis
Persistent Lyme disease
References
- Pavia CS, Plummer MM. Transfusion-associated Lyme disease — although unlikely, it is still a concern worth considering. Front Microbiol. 2018;9:2070.
- Wormser GP, Bittker S, Cooper D, Nowakowski J, Nadelman RB, Pavia C. Yield of large-volume blood cultures in patients with early Lyme disease. J Infect Dis. 2001;184(8):1070-1072.
- Gabitzsch ES, Piesman J, Dolan MC, Sykes CM, Zeidner NS. Transfer of Borrelia burgdorferi s.s. infection via blood transfusion in a murine model. J Parasitol. 2006;92(4):869-870.
- Thorp AM, Tonnetti L. Distribution and survival of Borrelia miyamotoi in human blood components. Transfusion. 2016;56(3):705-711.
Dr. Daniel Cameron, MD, MPH
Lyme disease clinician with over 30 years of experience and past president of ILADS.
Symptoms • Testing • Coinfections • Recovery • Pediatric • Prevention
“It is unlikely that an individual will donate blood if they have had a tick bite, erythema migrans (EM) rash or were ill, the author writes” They MUST be kidding, right??? How many of us went years/decades being told that there was NOTHING wrong with us, so we did our best to live our lives as if that were true – including donating blood, being on organ transplant lists and more. I happen to know that I’m not the only one that donated blood, or had that I was an organ donor before it was confirmed I had these infections.
The authors of this paper have raised an important question as the the potential risk. They are not discussing specific cases. Their paper lays down the foundation for further study.
prof prem raj pushpakaran writes — 2018 marks the 200 years since the first human-to-human blood transfusion!!
I had over $130,000.00 of plasma in the hospital. After two weeks out of the hospital I got Alpha Gal. People can say what they want but I will always believe it came from the plasma.
would transfused blood containing borrellia burgdorf show in skin first day post op
I have not seen a skin rash for Lyme disease after a transfusion. I have seen individuals who a recent infection who did not show an infection until after a procedure.