Dengue em doadores de sangue: necessitamos de triagem laboratorial no Brasil?: [carta ao editor] / Dengue in blood donors: do we need laboratorial screening?: [letter to editor]

ABSTRACT

Over the last 20 years, dengue has re-emerged in Brazil causing successive outbreaks with thousands of cases of dengue fever and hundreds of deaths. Similar to other Flaviviruses, the majority of the infections are asymptomatic. This can potentially lead to the collection of blood from a viremic donor, raising the possibilitiy of transfusional dengue. However, the paucity of such cases strongly contrasts to the number of cases observed globally. Dr. Estácio Ramos has advocated the urgent introduction of laboratorial screening of blood donations by use of an antigenic test in ELISA format (NSI). We would rather suggest more caution in postulating a mesure that may cause an uçndersirable impact on the cost and availability of blood in our country. We believe that a cost-benefit analysis, based on solid scientific data, is mandatory before any specific measure is adopted. Towards that end, we are performing a survey of dengue RNA among blood donors from six Brazilian cities (Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Goiânia, Fortaleza and Campo Grande) collec ted during the epidemic season (March-May, 2008) which may foster this discussion. Rev.Bras.Hematol.Hematoter. 2008, 30(5)417-418.