[Diagnosis and treatment of congenital infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi in Brazil].
Diagnosis of congenital infection should be performed preferentially by the search of the parasite, through microhematocrit. Nevertheless, most of the infected mothers are living now in non-endemic areas, where the expertise for identification of the parasite is low. Furthermore, transmission near delivery or even at delivery do not allow that enough parasites will be detected when the baby is at the maternity. So, if parasites are not found or not searched, it is imperative that, in serologically confirmed mothers (two positive tests), the babies are recalled at six/eight months of age, to look for IgG antibodies. If they are present, the baby is infected and should be treated. Treatment in Brazil is with benznidazol, 10 mg/Kg/day, during 60 days. Certification of cure is obtained once a negative serology is obtained, as a rule after one year. A follow up each six months is suggested.
Laboratório de Pesquisa da doença de Chagas, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goânia, Brasil. luquetti@hc.ufg.br
Alejandro O
AO
Luquetti
João Carlos Pinto
JC
Dias
Aluizio
A
Prata
D001938:Brazil; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012698:Serologic Tests