Rare Blood Group Awareness Week ended on February 4. In France, people from sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean or the Indian Ocean are likely to have a rare blood type, so the French blood establishment is in great need of it. However, residents of Guyana cannot donate blood.
Since April 8, 2005, there has been no blood collection in Guyana. this year, It was ended by prefectural decree due to the circulation of Chagas disease. This is a “neglected parasitic infection” transmitted by the parasite Trypanosoma cruziby blood.
It mainly occurs in the American continent., according to the Pasteur Institute. The infection can take a chronic form and lead to death. Brazil, a neighboring country, This parasite is the largest endemic country for infection and alone accounts for 40% of disease prevalence.
19 years ago, in Guyana, The blood drive has stoppedAs a precautionary principle, because The impossibility of confirming or denying the existence of a parasite-infected donation. It is also because between 1990 and 2005, about fifteen cases were reported.
However, today, the Pasteur Institute of Guyana Among other pathologies, P3 has a laboratory equipped to detect Chagas disease. Moreover, in Brazil, potential donors are screened before their blood is collected. They are detected using tests produced by the French laboratory Biomarieux.
It is with these arguments that Guyanese Senators Antoine Karam (in 2019) and Marie-Laure Finera-Horth (in 2022) challenged the Ministry of Unity and Health, and requested the resumption of blood collection in Guyana. Here is the response received by the senator.
To consider this restart, the Directorate General of Health (DGS) asked Public Health France to analyze the epidemiological situation in the region. The study, conducted in August 2021, shows that Guyana remains particularly exposed to infectious risks that can affect transfusion safety. She specifically mentions HIV, HTLV, dengue fever and hepatitis B virus. Only for this last virus, we can fear the loss of 5% of blood cells, which is not predictable.
Brigitte Bourguignon, Ministerial Representative of the Minister responsible for Autonomy, Solidarity and Health
Today, close surveillance in Guyana benefits Chagas disease, and also animals that may be infected.
Since 2016, cases have been reported to the regional health agency. “There are one to two cases per year and most of these are imported cases.“, according to Magali Pierre-Damer, PU-PH in Parasitology and Laboratory Manager at the Cayenne Hospital Center.
The latter still believes that it is, even today, a public health problem, because There are still vectors (organisms capable of spreading disease) in Guyana. So risk is always present.
