title: [Parasitological and epidemiological aspects of Trypanosoma cruzi seropositive blood donors].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  After the interruption of the transmission of Chagas disease via vector insects in Chile, there is little available epidemiological information about this parasitosis in blood banks.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To update the rates of T cruzi positive blood donors. To measure parasitological and epidemiological parameters in blood donors with anti T cruzi antibodies.
  
  
  METHODS
  An ELISA-T cruzi test was carried out in 30,309 blood donors between 2000 and 2004. In 75 blood donors with an ELISA-T cruzi positive test and 79 donors with negative ELISA (controls), a survey about personal or parental history of biting by a kissing bug (Triatomine), was performed. A blood sample was also obtained to perform Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for T cruzi and a xenodiagnostic test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Annual frequency of positive ELISA for T cruzi serum antibodies in blood donors varied from 0.31% to 0.45%. Twenty eight percent of subjects with positive and 6% of subjects with negative specific antibodies answered the survey about biting. PCR and xenodiagnostic test were positive in 52 (69%) and 16 (21%) of positive ELISA-T cruzi test blood donors, respectively. Xenodiagnostic was also positive in 5 individuals who had a negative PCR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Seroprevalence of T cruzi antibodies decreased from 3% in 1968 to 0.3% in 2004.
authors.affiliation: Unidad Docente de Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galaz
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Rubén
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mercado
authors.forename: Elsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Orrego
authors.forename: Blanca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pagliero
authors.forename: María Del Carmen
authors.initials: Mdel C
authors.lastname: Contreras
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salinas
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arancibia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001782:Blood Donors; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D020525:Xenodiagnosis
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan