Congenital Chagas' disease: diagnostic and clinical aspects.
The diagnostic and clinical aspects of congenital Chagas' disease were studied in 71 children in Buenos Aires. The children's ages ranged from 2 days to 10 years. In infants < 6 months old, the disease was diagnosed by detection of Trypanosoma cruzi in the blood; the microhematocrit test was positive in 38 (97.4%) of 39 cases. This test was the fastest and most reliable diagnostic method in this group, whereas two conventional serological methods were useful in children > or = 6 months of age. Forty-six (64.8%) of the 71 children had no clinical signs of infection. The clinical sign most frequently documented was hepatomegaly (18.3%). Three children were coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus; the latter infection was severe in two instances. Nifurtimox (10-15 mg/[kg.d] for 2 months) was used for parasiticidal treatment, and use of this drug resulted in mild adverse effects.
Freilij
H
H
Parasitology Laboratory, Ricardo Gutierrez Children's Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Altcheh
J
J
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001118:Argentina; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D009547:Nifurtimox / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000175:diagnosis; D011247:Pregnancy; D012698:Serologic Tests; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents; D009547:Nifurtimox