title: Seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi in blood donors at the National Blood Transfusion Services--Guyana.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blood transfusion is an important transmission route of Trypanosoma cruzi (T cruzi), a major parasitic infection in Central and South America. The limited treatment options are most effective in acute Chagas' infection. At present, there is no current data on the prevalence of T cruzi in the blood donor population of Guyana. This information is necessary to protect the supply of the blood donation programme. This study sought to determine the prevalence of T cruzi in the blood supply at the National Blood Transfusion Services of Guyana with the hope of providing knowledge to the on-going surveillance for Chagas' disease worldwide and therefore address the risk of its spread by blood transfusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two commercialized ELISAs utilizing crude or recombinant T cruzi antigens were used to study 2000 blood samples voluntarily donated for the purpose of altruistic or family replacement donation retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that approximately 1 in 286 donations tested positive for antibodies to T cruzi.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that T cruzi continues to be a risk in Guyana and there is a need to continue screening donated blood. Trypanosoma cruzi is a life-long infection and infected persons may be asymptomatic chronic carriers of the disease. Education, housing improvement, and controlled use of insecticides should be introduced to contain Chagas' disease.
authors: From: School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Charles Sturt University, Locked Bag 588, Boorooma Street, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales 2678, Australia.
authors: P T
authors: PT
authors: Bwititi
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Browne
mesh_terms: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D058731:Blood Safety; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D006172:Guyana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan