A Case of Possible Chagas Transmission by Blood Transfusion in Switzerland.

BACKGROUND Transfusion-transmitted Chagas disease has been reported from endemic countries in Latin America. Switzerland is a non-endemic country but high prevalence of antibodies against Trypanosoma cruzi was found among immigrants. Immigrants may participate in blood donation; therefore, risk-adapted anti-T. cruzi screening for blood donors was implemented in Switzerland in 2013. METHODS Between January 2013 and July 2015, 1 out of 1,183 at-risk donors, tested at Blood Transfusion Service Zurich, was found anti-T. cruzi IgG-positive. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Out of 54 donations given by the index donor (ID), we identified 77 blood products which were delivered to hospitals. Archived serum samples from the donations given during the prior 5 years were available for retrospective testing. All samples from ID revealed positive findings for anti-T. cruzi IgG. Donor-triggered look-back procedure identified a 70-year-old male recipient of a platelet concentrate (PC) donated by ID. The recipient succumbed of acute T. cruzi infection 2 years after transfusion of the PC.