title: Long-term follow-up of a patient since the acute phase of Chagas disease (South American trypanosomiasis): further treatment and cure of the infection.
abstract: A woman had been followed since 1957 for acute phase Chagas disease. Parasitological and serological tests were positive, and treatment included benznidazole in 1974. Following treatment, parasitological test results were negative and conventional serology remained positive until 1994, with subsequent discordant results (1995-1997). The results became consistently negative since 1999. She had an indeterminate chronic form until 1974. Only two minor and transitory nonspecific alterations on electrocardiogram were noted, with the last nine records normal until June 2014. This case confirms the possibility of curing chronic disease and suggests the benefit of specific treatments for preventing long-term morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: João Carlos Pinto
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Genard Carneiro da Cunha
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Nóbrega
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D009593:Nitroimidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D009593:Nitroimidazoles; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents; C009999:benzonidazole