Seroprevalence of Babesia microti infection in Canadian blood donors

Author:

O'Brien, SF, Delage, G, Scalia, V, Lindsay, LR, Bernier, F, Dubuc, S, Germain, M, Pilot, G, Yi, QL, and Fearon, M

Publication type:

Journal Article

Publication date:

2016-01

Journal/Series title:

Transfusion

Volume:

Issue:

URL:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/trf.13339

Abstract:

Of approximately 12,000 ticks submitted, 14 were B. microti positive (10 in Manitoba, one in Ontario, one in Québec, two in New Brunswick). From active tick surveillance, six of 361 ticks in Manitoba were positive (1.7%), three of 641 (0.5%) in Québec, and none elsewhere. There were 26,260 donors at the selected sites of whom 13,993 (53%) were tested. None were positive for antibody to B. microti. In 2013, 47% of donors visited forested areas in Canada, and 41% traveled to the United States.