Emerging Infectious Agents and Blood Safety in Latin America

Historically, emerging infectious agents have been an important driving force toward the enhancement of blood safety, illustrated by the sharp reduction in the transmission of infectious agents by blood transfusion after human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemics. In general, Latin American (LATAM...

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Main Author: José Eduardo Levi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmed.2018.00071/full
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author José Eduardo Levi
author_facet José Eduardo Levi
author_sort José Eduardo Levi
collection DOAJ
description Historically, emerging infectious agents have been an important driving force toward the enhancement of blood safety, illustrated by the sharp reduction in the transmission of infectious agents by blood transfusion after human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemics. In general, Latin American (LATAM) countries have introduced screening for microorganisms with proven blood transmission with some delay in comparison to developed countries, but, nowadays, all LATAM countries comply with a minimum standard of screening which includes Hepatitis B, C, HIV, Treponema pallidum, and Trypanosoma cruzi. Noticeably, all those agents, in addition to HTLV, cause chronic infections. By contrast, in the last decade, the region has witnessed explosive outbreaks of arboviral diseases, representing a new challenge to the blood system, threatening not only blood safety but also availability. So far, the clinical impact of transfusion-transmitted Dengue, Chikungunya, or Zika has not been evident, precluding immediate reaction from the authorities. A number of other arboviruses are endemic in the region and may, unpredictably, originate new epidemics. Several measures must be taken in preparedness for the potential emergence of another arbodisease.
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spelling doaj.art-ea317a3cd35943bca49c07c030482dfb2022-12-22T00:23:04ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medicine2296-858X2018-03-01510.3389/fmed.2018.00071350585Emerging Infectious Agents and Blood Safety in Latin AmericaJosé Eduardo Levi0Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, BrazilHistorically, emerging infectious agents have been an important driving force toward the enhancement of blood safety, illustrated by the sharp reduction in the transmission of infectious agents by blood transfusion after human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemics. In general, Latin American (LATAM) countries have introduced screening for microorganisms with proven blood transmission with some delay in comparison to developed countries, but, nowadays, all LATAM countries comply with a minimum standard of screening which includes Hepatitis B, C, HIV, Treponema pallidum, and Trypanosoma cruzi. Noticeably, all those agents, in addition to HTLV, cause chronic infections. By contrast, in the last decade, the region has witnessed explosive outbreaks of arboviral diseases, representing a new challenge to the blood system, threatening not only blood safety but also availability. So far, the clinical impact of transfusion-transmitted Dengue, Chikungunya, or Zika has not been evident, precluding immediate reaction from the authorities. A number of other arboviruses are endemic in the region and may, unpredictably, originate new epidemics. Several measures must be taken in preparedness for the potential emergence of another arbodisease.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmed.2018.00071/fullblood transfusionarbovirusesLatin AmericaZikaDengueChikungunya
spellingShingle José Eduardo Levi
Emerging Infectious Agents and Blood Safety in Latin America
Frontiers in Medicine
blood transfusion
arboviruses
Latin America
Zika
Dengue
Chikungunya
title Emerging Infectious Agents and Blood Safety in Latin America
title_full Emerging Infectious Agents and Blood Safety in Latin America
title_fullStr Emerging Infectious Agents and Blood Safety in Latin America
title_full_unstemmed Emerging Infectious Agents and Blood Safety in Latin America
title_short Emerging Infectious Agents and Blood Safety in Latin America
title_sort emerging infectious agents and blood safety in latin america
topic blood transfusion
arboviruses
Latin America
Zika
Dengue
Chikungunya
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmed.2018.00071/full
work_keys_str_mv AT joseeduardolevi emerginginfectiousagentsandbloodsafetyinlatinamerica