Serological screening for Leishmania infantum in asymptomatic blood donors living in an endemic area (Sicily, Italy).
The purpose of our study was to assess whether Leishmania infantum parasitemia occurs in asymptomatic Leishmania-seropositive subjects. Samples from 500 blood donors were tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anti-Leishmania antibodies were not found in any sample. Our findings suggest that the risk of L. infantum transmission by blood transfusion in Sicily is very low.
Colomba
Claudia
C
Istituto di Patologia Infettiva e Virologia, Università di Palermo, piazza Montalto 8, 90134 Palermo, Italy. claudia.colomba@libero.it
Saporito
Laura
L
Polara
Valentina Frasca
VF
Barone
Teresa
T
Corrao
Antonino
A
Titone
Lucina
L
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D001782:Blood Donors; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000276:immunology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan