Surveillance of donated blood during the 2016 arbovirus outbreak in Brazil

Reports of arboviral transmission via blood transfusion may be a cause of concern among asymptomatic infected donors. This study evaluated the presence of arboviruses in donated blood products during the 2016 outbreak in Vitória da Conquista (Bahia‐Brazil). Serum samples (n = 676) were screened for ZIKV, CHIKV, and the four DENV serotypes using a one‐step reverse transcriptase‐based Real‐Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT‐PCR). No samples tested positive for any of the targets, whereas positive controls performed as expected. The results suggest a low risk of arboviral transmission via transfusion of blood products in the endemic area studied during the 2016 outbreak.