HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (4) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by RIERA, C. Articles by PORTÚS, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by RIERA, C. Articles by PORTÚS, M. Related Collections Chagas Disease

CONGENITAL TRANSMISSION OF TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI IN EUROPE (SPAIN): A CASE REPORT

Here we report a documented case of congenital transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi from a Bolivian mother with chronic Chagas disease living in Spain. The serology and blood nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were positive for the mother, and amastigote forms were observed in histopathological study of the placenta and umbilical cord. Direct examination, culture, and nested PCR were positive in the blood of the neonate. At the age of 8 days, the neonate began treatment with 5–7.5 mg/kg/day of benznidazol, which was continued for 60 days. Direct examination, blood culture, and nested PCR were negative to T. cruzi 20 days after the start of treatment and remained negative 4 and 7 months thereafter. Serological tests were negative at 4 months. To detect congenital infection and initiate early treatment of infected newborns, protocols are required to detect Chagas disease in pregnant women who migrate from endemic to non-endemic areas.

Received January 5, 2006. Accepted for publication July 5, 2006.

Acknowledgments: The authors thank Dr. P. Bonay, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, for genotyping T cruzi strains. We also thank P. López-Chejade, M. Vergés, and S. Tebar (Laboratori de Parasitologia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona) for providing technical assistance.

^* Address correspondence to Cristina Riera, Laboratori de Parasitologia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda. Joan XXIII s.n., E-08028 Barcelona, Spain. E-mail: mcriera{at}ub.edu

Authors’ addresses: Cristina Riera, Montserrat Gállego, Roser Fisa, and Montserrat Portús, Laboratori de Parasitologia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda. Joan XXIII s.n., E-08028 Barcelona, Spain, Telephone: 34 93 402 45 00, Fax: 34 93 402 45 04, E-mails: mcriera{at}ub.edu, mgallego{at}ub.edu, rfisa{at}ub.edu, mportus{at}ub.edu. Anna Guarro, Houssein El Kassab, José Maria Jorba, Carmen Martin, and Alejandro Lobato, Servei de Pediatria, Hospital Residència Sant Camil, Sant Pere de Ribes, Carretera Puigmoltó Km 0.8, Sant Pere de Ribes, 08810 Barcelona, Spain, Telephone: 34 93 896 00 25, Fax: 34 93 896 12 87, E-mails: santcamil{at}hrsantcamil.es, 34578hk{at}comb.es, C.MEDIC{at}terra.es, santcamil{at}hrsantcamil.es. Montserrat Castro, Servei de Anatomia Patològica, Hospital Residència Sant Camil, Sant Pere de Ribes, Carretera Puigmoltó Km 0.8, Sant Pere de Ribes, 08810 Barcelona, Spain, Telephone: 34 93 896 00 25, Fax: 34 93 896 12 8, E-mail: mcastro{at}ava.scs.es. Roser Angrill, Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital Residència Sant Camil, Sant Pere de Ribes, Carretera Puigmoltó Km 0.8, Sant Pere de Ribes, 08810 Barcelona, Spain, Telephone: 34 93 896 00 25, Fax: 34 93 896 12 8, E-mail: rangrill{at}cli.scs.es.