Abstract

BERRIZBEITIA, Mariolga et al. Trypanosoma cruzi infection seroprevalence at public blood banks in eastern Venezuela. Rev. Soc. Ven. Microbiol. [online]. 2014, vol.34, n.1, pp.43-48. ISSN 1315-2556.

The seroprevalence of IgG type anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies was evaluated at three public blood banks in Eastern Venezuela (Hospital Universitario “Antonio Patricio de Alcala, Cumaná and Hospital “Santos Anibal Dominici”, Carúpano, Sucre State; and Hospital “Nuñez Tovar, Maturin, Monagas State). The evaluation included 1,301 serum samples obtained from donors (ages: 18-59 years, both sexes). Five hundred and eighteen (N=518) came from the blood bank at the Hospital in Cumaná, 281 from the blood bank at the Hospital in Carúpano, and 502 from the blood bank at the Hospital in Maturín. The serologic diagnosis was done by the ELISA test (EPI-ELISA) and as confirmation we used the Western blot test (TESA-blot). For the evaluation of non conclusive results we used a third serologic test (indirect immunoflourescence (IIF)). Seropositivity of IgG type anti-T. cruzi antibodies was 0.6% (8/1301 donors) from the 3 blood banks evaluated. T. cruzi infection seroprevalence at the 3 blood banks studied was low; nevertheless, it is recommended to apply more than one serologic test to improve the diagnosis of Chagas disease at Venezuelan blood banks.

Keywords : Trypanosoma cruzi; donors; seroprevalence; blood banks; eastern Venezuela.

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