Platelets - Emerging Pathogens

Emerging pathogens include viruses such as Zika, dengue, and chikungunya, and also protozoa such as Babesia and others. Trypanosoma cruzi, the pathogen which causes Chagas’ disease, and Plasmodium falciparum, the pathogen which causes malaria, are now increasingly found in blood components. These pathogens are no longer limited to their area of origin, due to worldwide travel and climate changes.