Presence of anti-leishmania (viannia) braziliensis antibodies in blood donors in the west-central region of the state of Paraná, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Serological screening in blood banks does not include all transmittable diseases. American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) has a high detection rate in the municipalities of the State of Paraná. Methods: This study analyzed the presence of anti- Leishmania braziliensis antibodies in 176 blood donors who live in these endemic areas. The variables were analyzed with the χ2 test and Stata 9.1 software. Results: Twenty (11.4%) samples were positive for the presence of anti-L. braziliensis antibodies. Conclusions: The high percentage of donors with anti-Leishmania spp. antibodies indicates the need to study the risk of ACL transmission through blood donors.