Scrub typhus amongst normal non-remunerated voluntary blood donors, a cross-sectional study from Eastern India Ghosal Anit1, Talukdar Biplabendu2,*, Bhattacharya Prasun3, Banerji Bhaswati4 1Resident Doctor, Department of IHBT, MCH, Kolkata, West Bengal, India 2Assistant Professor, Department of IHBT, MCH, Kolkata, West Bengal, India 3Professor and Head, Department of IHBT, MCH, Kolkata, West Bengal, India 4Professor, Department of Microbiology, STM, Kolkata, West Bengal, India *Corresponding author E-mail id: drbiplabendutalukder@gmail.com
Online published on 7 March, 2023. Abstract Orientia tsutsugamushi is an obligate intracellular, Gram-negative bacteria spread by the bite of contaminated chiggers and larval stages of trombiculid mites. Mammalian rodents are the reservoir of trombiculid mites. Infected people with scrub typhus may present asymptomatically. Therefore, there is an increased probability of transfusion related adverse reaction among immunocompromised recipients. Sero-prevalence of Scrub typhus in healthy adult Indian population is reported to be nearly 15%. In our study, hundred (100) screened non-remunerated healthy voluntary blood donors participated. After taking the valid consent of the donor, 2ml blood sample was collected in clot activated vacationer. All samples were screened for IgM and IgG Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Out of the 100 samples screened, two were above the mentioned cut off for IgM and IgG ELISA indicated as positive. Three samples were adjacent to cut off IgG ELISA and below the cut off for IgM ELISA, described as an equivocal result. Rest of the samples (both IgM and IgG) were lying below the mentioned cut off value and are considered as non-reactive. High seroprevalence of scrub typhus among healthy voluntary blood donors may initiate increased mortality in recipients of blood and component transfusion. Proper donor screening and history taking prior to phlebotomy incorporated as National guideline for screening of voluntary blood donors, may prevent transfusion related adverse events. Top Keywords Scrub typhus, Sero-prevalence, Voluntary blood donors, Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Top |