EHEC DRK calls for blood donations

EHEC: The German Red Cross calls for more blood donations

03/06/2011

The EHEC infection rate is increasing rapidly in Germany. At the Hamburg University Hospital Eppendorf alone, around 100 seriously ill patients are receiving intensive medical care for the HUS syndrome. Given this extent, the blood supply is scarce. Therefore, the German Red Cross (DRC) calls on the citizens to donate blood.

Due to increasing EHEC and hemolytic uremic follow-up syndrome „HUS“ The DRC calls for vital blood donations. Especially for patients suffering from HUS syndrome, additional blood plasma is urgently needed, as reported by the German Red Cross Blood Donor Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen. Clinics are dependent on additional allocations, especially in the current situation, as supplies are running low.

By the summer, the cold stores must be filled up
Although the Germany-wide organized blood donation services of the DRC can still fall back on existing inventories in the cold storage, but this would have to be replenished in the course of the approaching Whitsun and summer holidays, as Professor. Harald Klüter, head of the blood donation section Baden-Württemberg-Hessen explained. „Particularly critical here is the supply of the only briefly stored blood components, the red blood cells and platelets“, so Kluter.

Who can donate??
In principle, every healthy citizen between the ages of 18 and 70 years can donate blood. If you donate for the first time, you should not be older than 64. All blood donors must have a minimum body weight of 50 kilos. The donation itself does not usually last longer than 15 minutes. Overall, you should set yourself up for at least an hour. In addition to the donation, a medical examination, the completion of a registration form and usually a small snack to strengthen. Men can donate blood six times and women up to four times a year. For detailed information on the blood donation and the possible dates in the region donation-willing receive under the free DRK hotline 0800-1194911 or on the website of the DRK blood donation service under www.blutspende.de. (Sb)

Read about:
Green cucumbers no EHEC transmitter
EHEC Causes: The pathogen on the trail
Symptoms of EHEC infection
DRK rewards blood donations with special thanks

Image: Herbert Käfer