Seroprevalence of Chikungunya virus in blood donors from Northern and Southeastern Brazil.

Background: Chikungunya virus, an arbovirus that belongs to the genus of the family, causes a febrile illness accompanied by rash and arthralgia. It is estimated that during outbreaks, the prevalence of Chikungunya virus RNA in viremic blood donations varies between 0.4 and 2.

Likely transmission of hepatitis C virus through sharing of cutting and perforating instruments in blood donors in the State of Pará, Northern Brazil.

We determined the risk factors for HCV infection in blood donors in the State of Pará, Northern Brazil. We examined 256 blood donors seen at the Blood Bank of Pará State between 2004 and 2006. They were divided into two groups, depending on whether they were infected with HCV or not; 116 donors were infected with HCV, while the other 140 were free of infection.