Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi infection leads to Chagas disease (CD), a neglected tropical infection of significant public health importance in South and Central America and other, non-endemic, countries. Pregnant women and their children are of particular importance to screen as T. cruzi can be transmitted vertically. The objective of this study was to screen for T. cruzi infection among pregnant women from endemic areas seen at the Hospital General de Mexico for prenatal care, so that they and their children may be quickly connected to CD treatment. Pregnant women were recruited through the hospital prenatal clinic and screened for T. cruzi infection using a series of serological and molecular tests. Of 150 screened patients, mean age 26.8 (SD 6.4), 30 (20.0%) were positive by at least one diagnostic test. Of these, only nine (6%) were positive as determined by PCR. Diagnosis of chronic CD is difficult in endemic places like Mexico due to the limitations of current commercially available diagnostic tests. Further evaluation of diagnostic performance of various assays could improve current CD diagnostic algorithms and proper care management in these regions. Genetic variability in the parasite may also play a role in the differing assay performances seen in this study, and this may be a valuable avenue of further research.
Highlights
Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected tropical disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi
The goal of this study was to screen pregnant women from endemic regions for T. cruzi infection seen at the Hospital General de Mexico, so that preventive treatment could be provided to women and infants
Few had heard of CD; 25 (16.9%) and 23 (15.54%) had seen a triatomine, and only one (0.68%) reported knowledge of being bitten by a triatomine
Summary
Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected tropical disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Over six million people worldwide are affected, mostly in South and Central America, where the parasite and its vector are endemic [1]. T cruzi is carried in the gastrointestinal tract of triatomine bugs (Family Reduviidae, subfamily Triatominae). The parasite is transmitted to humans when the insects defecate into a bite, wound, or mucosal surface. The parasite may be transmitted vertically from an infected mother to their child (congenital infection). When left untreated or treated too late, CD may result in cardiac or gastrointestinal disease, or both [2]
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