  We have assembled a sample of 64 late-type spiral galaxies (T types 6.0-9.0,
corresponding to Hubble types Scd-Sm) with archival Chandra data. At a
signal-to-noise (S/N) threshold of 3, we find 12 objects with X-ray
point-source detections in close proximity with the optical or near-infrared
position of the nucleus (median offset \delta = 1.6"), suggestive of possible
low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Including measurements with 3 >
S/N > 1.5, our detections increase to 18. These X-ray sources range in
luminosity from L_X(2-10 keV) = 10^{37.1} to 10^{39.6} ergs s^-1. Considering
possible contamination from low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs), we estimate that
~5 detections are possible LMXBs instead of true AGNs, based on the probability
of observing a LMXB in a nuclear star cluster typically found in these
late-type spiral galaxies. Given the typical ages of nuclear star clusters,
contamination by high-mass X-ray binaries is unlikely. This AGN fraction is
higher than that observed in optical surveys, indicating that active nuclei,
and hence central black holes, are more common than previously suggested. The
incidence of AGN activity in such late-type spiral galaxies also suggests that
nuclear massive black holes can form and grow in galaxies with little or no
evidence for bulges. Follow-up multiwavelength observations will be necessary
to confirm the true nature of these sources.
