Blood Transfusions and T. cruzi - LabCE.com, Laboratory Continuing Education

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The page below is a sample from the LabCE course Parasitology Case Studies: Protozoa in Blood (by ASCLS). Access the complete course and earn ASCLS P.A.C.E.-approved continuing education credits by subscribing online.

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Blood Transfusions and T. cruzi

Metacyclic trypomastigotes are periodically found in blood of asymtomatic donors and are the infective stage
AABB recommends testing blood and blood products for T. cruzi since FDA approved test is available
1800 cases in blood donors have been confirmed
Only 7 cases of T. cruzi have been reported from blood transfusions
FDA recommends every donor be tested at least once by an approved serological test
If positive for T. cruzi repeatedly, donor should be permanently deferred
Parasites persist in whole blood 18 days, 5 days in platelets and less than 24 hours in fresh frozen plasma
5 of the reported cases of Chagas disease received infected platlets and one was leukoreduced
In Latin America 12-25% of persons who receive a transfusion from an infected donor develop the disease