ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, November 1, 1996 TAG: 9611010016
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MARK CLOTHIER
A Georgia firm is offering $500, a plane trip to Marietta, Ga., and free lodging for anyone confirmed with Legionnaires' disease willing to donate antibodies for major pharmaceutical companies to manufacture test kits.
Antibodies are the organisms a body produces to fight infection.
The roughly one-hour donation process is similar to donating blood, said Nicole Martin, spokesperson for Serologicals Inc. of Clarkston, Ga., east of Atlanta.
The trip would last three days and patients would be required to donate antibodies twice, Martin said. Only the patient's air fare and lodging expenses are paid for by Serologicals, she said.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for these patients to offset some of their medical costs while helping the medical community," Martin said.
The New River Valley is in the midst of Virginia's first-ever Legionnaires' outbreak. Health officials have identified 13 cases and are are looking for a source. Of the confirmed cases, one man has died. One remains hospitalized in critical but improving condition.
The donors would be flown from Roanoke to an airport in Marietta, a northwestern suburb of Atlanta. From there, a limousine would take them to the donor center for their first donation. The rest of the first day and the second day would be free time for the patient. The patients would be required to donate a second time before flying back the third day.
The firm provides transportation to and from the hotel and airport and donor center. The patient's travel during free time is not picked up by the firm, nor is food or other expenses.
Serologicals Inc. can be reached at (800) 842-9099.
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