title: Serological and parasitological screening of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mothers and newborns living in two Chagasic areas of Mexico.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maternal-fetal transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi generally occurs in 2-12% of pregnant infected mothers. This transmission form has been poorly studied in Mexico where only one case of congenital infection published in 1998 has been reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  We screened 145 mothers and their delivered babies in two hospitals of endemic regions in Mexico (states of Chiapas and Veracruz) searching for anti-T. cruzi antibodies and circulating parasites by hemoculture and PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In Poza Rica, Veracruz, 3/85 (3.5%) mothers were seropositive for T. cruzi infection and in Palenque, Chiapas, 3/60 (5%) cases. In total 6/145 (4.1%) were seropositive subjects. Although cord blood samples of delivered babies from seropositive mothers have IgG anti-T. cruzi antibodies, none presented PCR and positive hemoculture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although a high relative seroprevalence of T. cruzi infection in pregnant women was detected, no case of vertical transmission was recognized. Undoubtedly, further studies of large samples are necessary to evaluate maternal transmission risk in Mexico.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional Cardiología I. Chávez, México, DF, México.
authors.forename: Amonario
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olivera Mar
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guillén Ortega
authors.forename: Salatiel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cruz Vidal
authors.forename: Nidia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hernández-Becerril
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pérez Galdamez
authors.forename: Guzmán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Córdova Concepción
authors.forename: Pedro A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: Victor M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Monteón
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000472:pathogenicity*