IgM Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in the detection of recent transfusion-transmitted infections

Abstract

The Authors have regarded serum IgM antibodies titration as useful in the detection of recent transfusion-transmitted infections. For this reason a group consisting of 101 patients, who had received many blood transfusions, underwent such mensuration in order to reveal recent Chagas'disease and toxoplasmosis acquired infections. Throughout the investigation just two cases have yielded IgM trypanosomal or toxoplasmal antibodies, showing therefore that this sort of titration did not correlate with the real existence of recent acquired infections. On the other hand IgM antibodies in the same patients did not show a considerable incidence of these two protozoan infections. However an expressive rate of 4.9% of Chagas'disease probably due to hemotherapy was found. Although the results this study were not very relevant, the Authors still have in mind that further similar investigations should be carried out, in order to improve our knowled ge of the hazards of hemotherapy.