Experience with Selective Testing of Plasmodium Parasites in Swiss Blood Donors

Transmission of malaria by blood transfusion is rare in non-endemic countries but can lead to serious complications in blood recipients. Increasing travel to and immigration from regions at risk for tropical diseases poses a challenge to blood donation services, which are striving to reduce the number of blood donor deferrals while ensuring a high level of blood safety. National guidelines of the Blood Transfusion Service of the Swiss Red Cross demand that donors at risk are serologically tested for malaria antibodies. Here, we summarize the numbers of malaria tests performed and the results obtained since the introduction of mandatory testing in Switzerland in 2007. From malaria-positive donors, information on travels to endemic areas and place of origin, or if malaria symptoms were experienced and if prophylaxis was taken, was requested in a post-donation questionnaire.