Trypanosoma cruzi seroprevalence among solid organ donors in Ceará State, Brazil

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Alanna Carla da Costa, José Damião da Silva Filho, Eduardo Arrais Rocha, Mônica Coelho Andrade, Arduina Sofia Ortet de Barros Vasconcelos Fidalgo, Eliana Régia Barbosa Almeida, Carlos Eduardo Menezes Viana, Erlane Chaves Freitas, Ivo Castelo Branco Coelho, Maria de Fátima Oliveira
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT)
• Subjects: Organ transplantation; Trypanosoma cruzi; Prevalence; Brazil; Chagas disease; Stroke; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0406-2017; https://doaj.org/article/63ae8e7d9d7a42079de1b4751c54f1a7

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The transmission of Chagas disease (CD) through blood transfusion, organ transplantation, and oral transmission has gained greater visibility as a result of intensified vector control activities in endemic regions and to control CD in non-endemic regions. In Brazil, Ceará is one of the states that perform the most organ transplants. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in organ donor candidates. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on data from potential organ donors at the Center of Transplantation of the State of Ceará from 2010 - 2015. RESULTS: Data from a total of 2,822 potential donors were obtained, of which 1,038 were effective donors and 1,784 were excluded, likely due to lack of family authorization or medical contraindication. The prevalence of T. cruzi infection among these potential donors was 1.3% (n = 29). The majority of infected donors were males aged 41 - 60 years, residing in the interior of the state. Interestingly, 72.4% (n = 21) had positive or inconclusive serology for additional infections, such as cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B and C, and toxoplasmosis. Probability analysis revealed that stroke was the most common cause of death among potential donors with CD. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high prevalence of CD and other coinfections among potential solid organ donors in Ceará, and statistical tests have shown that these individuals are at increased risk of stroke when compared to potential non-reactive donors. This work highlights the importance of screening DC infection in potential donors.