[Emergence of Chagas' disease in Europe: description of the first cases observed in Latin American immigrants in mainland France].

This article describes the first cases of imported Chagas' disease detected in Paris, France. A total of 18 cases were recorded in two teaching hospitals between 2004 and 2007. There were 12 women and six men with a mean age of 38 years.

[Chagas disease in chronic phase outside the endemic area. The diagnostic tools].

The diagnosis of Chagas disease during the chronic phase is based on serology. Outside South America the use of two methods is recommended by WHO. A third method must be available for inconclusive results but there is no gold standard.

[Experience of targeted screening of Chagas disease in Ile-de-France].

2009 is marked by the centenary of the discovery by Carlos Chagas of Human American Trypanosomiasis. As a result of international cooperation its incidence has been falling in endemic areas, whereas North America and Europe are witnessing an increase in the number of imported cases. In metropolitan France, 18 such cases were reported between 2004 and 2007.

[Update on infectious risks associated with blood products].

Many infectious diseases are transmissible by blood transfusion but the overall risk of transfusion transmitted infections is very low through the combination of restrictive donor selection and increasingly sensitive screening. The noninfectious risks (hemolytic transfusion reactions, circulatory overload, transfusion related lung injury) are higher than the current infectious risks. Bacterial contamination of blood components remains the most frequent infectious risk from transfusion but are constantly declining.