JustAnswer > Health
Ask A Question|Register|Login|Help
JustAnswer

Health

Ask a Health Question, Get an Answer ASAP!

Have your own Health question?

9 Doctors and Nurses are Online Now
characters left:
Not a Health Question?

Related Health Topics:

  • Ill
  • ,
  • Bone
  • ,
  • Cell
  • ,
  • Knee
  • ,
  • Line
  • ,
  • Male
  • ,
  • Poor
  • ,
  • Side
  • ,
  • Test
  • ,
  • Time
Bookmark and Share

Question

I am a 76 yr. old male that was diognosed with Polycythemia Vera that was discovered accidently in a blood test. In 1980 I suffered a Haemorrhage to a stomach ulcer and was given 4 units of whole blood. Considering the poor testing of blood at that time is it possible that I could have received blood from someone with Polycythenia and had it passed on to me? In other words what happens to a recipient of blood from someone with Polycythemia?

Submitted: 856 days and 12 hours ago.
Category: Health
Value: $15
Status: CLOSED
+
Read More

Optional Information

Optional Information:
Male, Age: 76, Canada

Already Tried:
I am having phlebotomies

Posted by Dr. Bush 856 days and 12 hours ago.

Answer

polycythemia vera has an unknown cause but we know its a disease of the bone marrow and this means its not contagious. getting a blood transfusion shouldnt effect your bone marrow to cause this.
the only chance exists because again we cant be sure what causes it so theres always a chance we are wrong about the ability to be passed in a transfusion.
if someone has polycythemia and gives blood the blood itself would just contain high counts of blood cells and the recipient wont develop pv from it it will just increase side effects like clots .

856 days and 11 hours ago.

Reply

The answer seems to be a little bit of sitting on the fence. I conclude from your answer that there is a possibility that I could have gotten the polycythemia from one or more of the 4 transfusions. In 1996 after a total knee replacement I had to make a return visit to the OR to remove blood clots from my knee! How can we know that the Polycythemia won't affect the Bone Marrow?

Accepted Answer

the polycythemia does effect the bone marrow and results in overproduction of all blood types by the bone marrow. sorry i wasnt clear but ill try again. there are no proven cases of transfusion related ransmission of pv. the current theory of the cause of pv doesnt allow for it to be transferred by a diseased blood donor. the change in the bone marrow is due to one cells dna being mutated to start overproducing and then when that cell line divides it leads to full blown disease. the disease is not in the blood itsef but in the marrow and would require a marrow donation to be passed from one person to the next.

Expert: Dr. Bush
Pos. Feedback: 99.4 %
Accepts: 
Answered: 7/18/2007

Doctor (MD)

board certified family dr, specialize in women, children &sexual diseases

+
Read More

Related Health Questions

  • I fell in the shower two days ago and hit my rib cage in ...
  • a physician who is incorporated is considered an ...
  • how much hydrocodone is in a norco 369 pill
  • I have a lot of discoloration in my skin from taking ...
  • WHAT OVER THE COUNTER PILL FOR SEXUAL STAMINA
  • i had hysterectomy on 06/22/07. on fri 06/29 i ...
  • is there a connection between a fractured femur
  • my niples are ichy why



Disclaimer: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site ("Posts") comes from individual users, not JustAnswer; JustAnswer is not responsible for Posts. Posts are for general information, are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (medical, legal, veterinary, financial, etc.), or to establish a professional-client relationship. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty or representations by JustAnswer regarding the qualifications of Experts. To see what credentials have been verified by a third-party service, please click on the "Verified" symbol in some Experts' profiles. JustAnswer is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.
Question List | Become an Expert | Terms of Service | Security & Privacy | About Us
© 2003-2009 JustAnswer Corp.