Erroneous blood test results from Red Cross

[Janet]

I was informed by the local Red Cross that the 1 unit of blood that I was able to donate had tested positive for Hepatitus C.
My own doctor ordered new tests, which, no great surprise, came back negative. Apparantly cross-contamination in labs is not that uncommon (possibly from Hep C positive control samples ??).

Since Hep C is spread thru blood transfusions or shared needles, neither of which I've ever done, I felt the Red Cross results were wrong. Nonetheless, I received this info from the Red Cross the day before Thanksgiving, and since I couldn't reach my doctors until Monday, I was sick with worry for 5 days that my surgery would be cancelled (turns out no big deal even if I were Hep C positive).
MORAL OF STORY: if you receive a positive test result that makes no sense given your lifestyle, be sure to have a second test done at another lab. This cross-contamination issue is really scarey.

[Susie*Bee]

That's good to know, Janet. I did 4 units of blood, with no problems (I am thankful!) through American Red Cross. So it's not a problem everywhere...

[Shari]

The same thing happened to me. It's sad that these mistakes can be made in this age of such great technology. I thought I had Hep C for over a year after my surgery.

Shari

[Janet]

Shari - thanks for letting me know I was not the only one subject to this screw-up. That must have been awful to have been misinformed for such a long time.

I don't know what really goes on in labs, but if the lab workers are low-paid and undersupervised, I doubt if any technology can address this problem.