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Fatal Acute Chagas' Disease in a North American in the Canal Zone¹

An 18 year old white American solider, stationed in the Canal Zone, entered the hospital because of cellulitis of the left foot. After running a relapsing type of fever, he went into sudden shock on the 43d hospital day, expiring three days later. Laboratory work was non-contributory except for the heterophile antibody reaction performed on the 22d day of observation, which was positive to 1/1024 dilution. Absorption tests with boiled guinea pig kidney after death proved the antibodies to be of the Forssman type.

Autopsy disclosed a myocarditis associated with parasitization of the heart muscle by the leishmanial forms of the Trypanosoma cruzi. The immediate cause of death was congestive heart failure in acute Chagas' disease.

¹ Board of Health Laboratory, Gorgas Hospital, Ancon, Canal Zone.

² Resident in Pathology, Gorgas Hospital.

³ Chief of Laboratory.