Only people who have developed active vaccinia infections, inadvertently contracted from a vaccinee, should be deferred. Occasionally, people who have had close physical contact with vaccinated people, their bandages, or clothing, develop vaccinia infections on their own skin. Most of the time, these infections progress in a manner similar to vaccination, i.e., blisters form, scabs form, and the vaccinia virus is eliminated, much like events that occur after an intentional vaccination. However, the person with "contact vaccinia" can, just like a vaccinee, rarely experience a severe complication of vaccinia infection. We recommend temporarily deferring blood donors who have inadvertently caught vaccinia from a vaccinee, as follows: - For symptomatic contacts of vaccinees, who have only localized skin lesions, and not severe complications: Deferral until after the scab(s) fall off.
Rationale: Just like vaccinees, people who have inadvertent vaccinia infection of the skin may have live vaccinia virus in the body until the immune response is complete (usually by 14-21 days), and until after the scab(s) have fallen off. Vaccine scabs have been shown to contain infectious virus. - For symptomatic contacts of vaccinees with severe complications: Deferral for 14 days after complete resolution of severe complications.
- Asymptomatic contacts of vaccine recipients do not need to be deferred.
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