Thread: Brits Fear U.S. Troop Blood Infected

Brits Fear U.S. Troop Blood Infected
Daily Mail | January 11, 2008

British troops wounded on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan may have been given infected blood.

The 18 soldiers had been seriously wounded and needed urgent transfusions.

They were treated at American field hospitals and given blood taken from U.S. donors.

But it has since emerged that the donors had not gone through the rigorous tests normally applied.

The blood could be infected with diseases such as HIV, hepatitis and syphilis.

Some of the soldiers affected are understood to have lost limbs. They are now having tests for a number of diseases.

The scandal broke when the Pentagon warned that batches of blood used for battlefield transfusions had not been properly screened.

By yesterday morning 17 of the affected soldiers had been found. It is understood the last one was told as he stepped off a ferry returning from a holiday in France last night. Defence Minister Derek Twigg said: "These 18 service personnel would almost certainly have died without receiving an emergency transfusion.

"Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, acted quickly to ensure that those service personnel involved were informed as soon as possible. The actual risk of any infection is low."

The Ministry of Defence last night urged soldiers who may be concerned about contaminated blood to go to their doctor.

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,1 ... =army-a.nl

I had surgery back in the late 80's. They started testing me back in the 90"s for HIV. Don't worry, it's not out of concern for me. They want to know why I do not have AIDS as multiple people who got blood out of the same batch died. Do I think they told the families of the dead how it happened? No. I found out because I refused AIDS testing until they told me why they were looking for it.