Epidemiological features, echocardiographic findings, and parasite load in patients with Chagas disease

Abstract

Introduction: Chagas disease is a major public health problem that is endemic in Brazil and Latin America. This study aimed to determine the socioeconomic, demographic, and clinical characteristics of 171 patients (mean age, 45 years; female, 65%) with Chagas disease at Hospital Universitário de Brasília, Federal District, Brazil. Methods: We implemented this cross-sectional study using a clinical epidemiological questionnaire, electrocardiography, echocardiography, and quantitative detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in blood using qRT-PCR. Results: Among the patients, 26.3% had a full elementary education, and 13.2% were illiterate. Most (63.6%) were economically classified as class C, and 51.5% were born in Bahia state. A total of 62.0% participants reported previous contact with the triatomine bug. The clinical forms of the disease were indeterminate (69.51%), cardiac (15.24%), digestive (10.37%), and mixed (4.88%). The most common electrocardiographic abnormality was complete right bundle branch block in association with a divisional anterosuperior block. Only 14.6% of the patients complied with benznidazole medication for at least 60 days, and 164 of them were assessed by echocardiography. The parasite load was positive in 56% of the patients. Conclusions: Chagas disease affected mostly women, with the indeterminate chronic form of the disease.

Potencial de los análogos de dillapiol para su uso en enfermedades desatendidas, con énfasis en la leishmaniasis cutánea: una revisión de la literatura

“…En Brasil fueron notificados 4.685 individuos sospechosos de enfermedad de Chagas en fase aguda, estimación del último Boletín Epidemiológico de 2019, habiéndose confirmado en 380 pacientes de la región Norte, que registró una proporción del 92,1%, la más alta del país (Brasil, 2020). Afecta aproximadamente a 6 millones de personas, con una incidencia anual de 30.000 casos nuevos en esta región, provocando, en promedio, 14.000 muertes al año y 8.000 transmisiones verticales (Arruda et al, 2019). Sin embargo, existen otras formas de transmisión.…”

Potencial dos análogos do dilapiol para uso em Doenças Negligenciadas, com ênfase para Leishmaniose Cutânea: revisão literária / Potential of dilapiol analogues for use in Neglected Diseases, with emphasis on Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: a literature review

“…Brazilian Journal of Development, Curitiba, v.7, n.7, p.73198-73218 jul. 2021 transmissões verticais (Arruda et al, 2019). Entretanto, existem outras formas de transmissão.…”

Nutritional Status Evaluation of a Critically Ill Patient with Chagasic Cardiopathy Treated in an Intensive Care Unit in Santo Antonio de Jesus, Bahia, Brazil: A Case Report

“…Chagas disease remains a major public health issue in Brazil. Approximately 2-3 million individuals are infected with this parasite and ~ 6,000 deaths are recorded on a yearly basis due to it [1]. According to a descriptive cross-sectional study (2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016)(2017)(2018) conducted in HEMOBA (Hematology and Hemotherapy Foundation of Bahia) database, T. cruzi infection recorded higher in-…”