Cardiomyopathy prognosis after benznidazole treatment in chronic canine Chagas' disease.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of benznidazole on Chagas' disease cardiac prognosis using an experimental dog model of infection.

Methods: A total of 28 dogs were divided into three groups: 10 were infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and treated benznidazole during the chronic phase, 10 were infected but untreated, and 8 were non-infected/healthy. The trypanocidal efficacy was measured by parasite kDNA detection in blood and cardiac tissue samples.