Higher congenital transmission rate of Trypanosoma cruzi associated with family history of congenital transmission.

Introduction: Congenital transmission (CT) of Trypanosoma cruzi has led to globalization of Chagas disease and its growing relevance as a public health problem. Although the occurrence of CT has been associated with several factors, its mechanisms are still unknown. This study aimed to analyze the geographical and familiar variables of mothers and their association with CT of Chagas disease in a population living in non-endemic areas of Argentina for the last decades.

Integrated control of Chagas disease for its elimination as public health problem--a review.

Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis is, together with geohelminths, the neglected disease that causes more loss of years of healthy life due to disability in Latin America. Chagas disease, as determined by the factors and determinants, shows that different contexts require different actions, preventing new cases or reducing the burden of disease. Control strategies must combine two general courses of action including prevention of transmission to prevent the occurrence of new cases (these measures are cost effective), as well as opportune diagnosis and treatment of infected individuals in order to prevent the clinical evolution of the disease and to allow them to recuperate their health.

Therapy of chagas disease: implications for levels of prevention.

This paper reviews the evidence supporting the use of etiological treatment for Chagas disease that has changed the standard of care for patients with Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the last decades. Implications of this evidence on different levels of prevention as well as gaps in current knowledge are also discussed. In this regard, etiological treatment has shown to be beneficial as an intervention for secondary prevention to successfully cure the infection or to delay, reduce, or prevent the progression to disease, and as primary disease prevention by breaking the chain of transmission.

Early diagnosis of congenital Trypanosoma cruzi infection, using shed acute phase antigen, in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.

Chagas' disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanasoma cruzi. It is estimated that 15,000 new cases of congenital T. cruzi transmission occur in the Americas each year.

Etiological treatment of young women infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, and prevention of congenital transmission.

The objective was to detect Trypanosoma cruzi infection in 32 children in Salta, Argentina, born to 16 chronically infected young women who were treated with benznidazole. Tests were performed to assess the efficacy of treatment after 14 years. At the end of the follow up, 87.

Therapy, diagnosis and prognosis of chronic Chagas disease: insight gained in Argentina.

The purpose of this review is to describe research findings regarding chronic Chagas disease in Argentina that have changed the standards of care for patients with Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Indirect techniques (serological tests) are still the main tools for the primary diagnosis of infection in the chronic phase, but polymerase chain reaction has been shown to be promising. The prognosis of patients with heart failure or advanced stages of chagasic cardiomyopathy is poor, but a timely diagnosis during the initial stages of the disease would allow for prescription of appropriate therapies to offer a better quality of life.

Etiological treatment in patients infected by Trypanosoma cruzi: experiences in Argentina.

Purpose Of Review: The aim of this review is to describe knowledge, mainly of the last 15 years, that changed criteria for specific treatment against Trypanosoma cruzi infection.

Recent Findings: Over the past 15 years, there has been an increase in the use of new methodologies to evaluate the efficacy of antiparasitic treatments. These tools showed that the evaluation period for trypanocidal treatment effectiveness could be shortened.