In developing countries, blood transfusion is the easiest and at times the sole therapeutic method available for treating not only anemia but also malnutrition etc. Its indication is not very strict. Moreover several tropical diseases, such as Malaria and Chagas' disease, should be considered as transfusion related infection.
Chagas' disease, a parasitic disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is endemic in Bolivia. Now it is becoming a serious problem even in urban area because of rural/urban migration in Latin America. Although the blood transfusion system includes screening tests, it is not sufficient.
In Bolivia, one of the poorest countries in Latin America, the blood transfusion system has not been thoroughly studied.
This is a report on the current situation for blood transfusions in Bolivia; especially in relation to the prevalence of the transfusion related infections Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, HTLV-1 and Chagas' disease.
The seropositive rate of Chagas' disease in blood donors was 23% with the IHA method, making it one of the most serious public health problems in Bolivia. A Nation wide program for it should be started as soon as possible. First of all, to prevent the infections through blood transfusions, appropriate blood screening system is required in Bolivia.
The prevalence of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV and HTLV-1 were not so high. It is necessary to do more epidemiological studies.
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