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Demonstrable parasitemia among Connecticut blood donors with antibodies to Babesia microti
Article first published online: 3 OCT 2005
DOI: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2005.00609.x
Additional Information
How to Cite
Leiby, D. A., Chung, A. P., Gill, J. E., Houghton, R. L., Persing, D. H., Badon, S. and Cable, R. G. (2005), Demonstrable parasitemia among Connecticut blood donors with antibodies to Babesia microti. Transfusion, 45: 1804–1810. doi: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2005.00609.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 3 OCT 2005
- Article first published online: 3 OCT 2005
- Received for publication January 12, 2005; revision received March 28, 2005, and accepted March 30, 2005.
- Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Reports of transfusion-transmitted Babesia microti have risen steadily during the past several years, reflecting a concurrent increase in US cases of human babesiosis. Although several studies have measured B. microti antibodies in blood donors, little is known about associated parasitemia and the inherent risk of transmitting the parasite by transfusion.
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Donations from blood donors located in Babesia-endemic and nonendemic areas of Connecticut were tested for B. microti antibodies from July through September. Subsequently, an additional blood sample was collected from selected seropositive donors and tested by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for B. microti nucleic acids.
RESULTS: A total of 3490 donations, 1745 each from endemic and nonendemic areas, were tested for B. microti antibodies; 30 (0.9%) were confirmed as positive and seroprevalence rates peaked in July. Significantly more seropositive donations were from endemic areas (24, 1.4%) than nonendemic areas (6, 0.3%). Ten (53%) of 19 seropositive donors subsequently tested by PCR were positive.
CONCLUSION:B. microti seroprevalence was highest in those areas of Connecticut where the parasite is endemic. More than half of seropositive donors tested had demonstrable parasitemia, indicating that many are at risk for transmitting B. microti by blood transfusion. Three donors were identified as parasitemic in October, suggesting that donors may be at risk for transmitting the parasite outside of the peak period of community-acquired infection.