[Prevalence of antibodies against Trypanosoma cruzi in blood bank donors from the IMSS General Hospital in Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico].
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of antibodies against Trypanosoma cruzi in blood donors from Hospital General Regional (HGRO) of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS per its abbreviation in Spanish).


METHODS
Between October 2001 and January 2002, blood samples were collected from voluntary donors at the blood bank of the Hospital General Regional of IMSS in Orizaba; Veracruz, Mexico. The samples were assayed for anti-T. cruzi by ELISA, Western blot and IFI, using a recombinant protein (MBP::Hsp70), and crude extract from epimastigotes.


RESULTS
A total of 420 blood donors were studied; two of them were seropositive for ELISA,Western blot and IFI, with a seroprevalence of 0.48%.


CONCLUSIONS
Some blood donors at the HGRO hospital were seropositive for T. cruzi, showing the risk of contamination by blood transfusion. Routine serologic screening with highly sensitive and specific immunological techniques are needed.
Universidad Veracruzana, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, LADISER Inmunología y Biología Molecular, México.
Angel
A
Ramos-Ligonio
Michaía Elián
ME
Ramírez-Sánchez
Juan Carlos
JC
González-Hernández
José Luis
JL
Rosales-Encina
Aracely
A
López-Monteon
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001771:Blood Banks; D001782:Blood Donors; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan