Using polymerase chain reaction in early diagnosis of re-activated Trypanosoma cruzi infection after heart transplantation.

Background: Heart transplantation is an effective treatment for patients with end-stage Chagas' heart disease. Re-activation of Chagas' disease in transplant recipients is frequent, triggered by immunosuppression level. Therefore, highly sensitive methods for early diagnosis of Chagas' disease relapse are necessary to initiate appropriate therapy.