Congenital Chagas disease of second generation in Santiago, Chile. Report of two cases

• Main Authors: SCHENONE Hugo, GAGGERO María, SAPUNAR Jorge, CONTRERAS María del C., ROJAS Antonio
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 2001
• Subjects: Chagas disease; Congenital Chagas disease; Second generation congenital Chagas disease; Congenital infections; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/378d4e4e6f184f7fb5d98004f6d1c334

Congenital Chagas disease (CChD) has been reported in different countries, mostly in Latin America. In 1987 a fatal case of CChD of second generation (CChDSG) was published. Within a period of six months - 1989-1990 - two cases of CChDSG were diagnosed and studied in the city of Santiago. Two premature newborns, sons of two sisters, with moderate liver and spleen enlargement, were found to have positive serology for Chagas disease and xenodiagnoses. The mothers, urban residents all their lives, without antecedents of triatomine bugs contact or blood transfusions, showed positive serology and xenodiagnoses. Their mother (grandmother of the infants), lived 20 years in a Northern rural Chagas disease endemic locality, in a triatomine infested house. Afterwards, she moved to Santiago, where she married and has resided up to now. Serology and xenodiagnoses were also positive. All the Trypanosoma cruzi infected individuals were successfully treated with nifurtimox.