PLoS ONE (Jan 2019)

Dengue seroprevalence among asymptomatic blood donors during an epidemic outbreak in Central-West Brazil.

  • Svetoslav Nanev Slavov,
  • Daiani Cristina Cilião-Alves,
  • Filipe Almeida Carvalho Gonzaga,
  • Drielly Rodrigues Moura,
  • Ana Carolina Alves Melo de Moura,
  • Lorena Aparecida Gonçalves de Noronha,
  • Évelin Mota Cassemiro,
  • Bárbara Maciel Sidou Pimentel,
  • Fabiano José Queiroz Costa,
  • Grasiela Araújo da Silva,
  • Doralina do Amaral Rabello Ramos,
  • Wildo Navegantes de Araújo,
  • Simone Kashima,
  • Rodrigo Haddad

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213793
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 3
p. e0213793

Abstract

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Dengue virus (DENV) transmission by blood transfusion is an important route of viral acquisition during outbreaks. The prevalence of DENV markers (viral RNA, NS1, anti-DENV IgM, and IgG) among blood donors in Central-West Brazil has never been evaluated. Our aim was to evaluate the full set of serological and molecular markers for DENV among blood donors of the Federal District of Brazil during an extensive outbreak in 2016. We found an anti-DENV IgM prevalence of 6.74% (n = 32/475). Of 475, 20 samples (4.21%) were also anti-DENV IgG positive. All samples were non-reactive for NS1 and DENV RNA. Our results imply that a significant proportion of the tested donors had experienced asymptomatic infection. More studies are necessary to evaluate the real prevalence of DENV viremia in blood donors from the Federal District of Brazil and if specific measures are needed to routinely test the blood donors for DENV RNA during outbreaks.