Prevalence and Vertical Transmission ofTrypanosoma cruziInfection among Pregnant Latin American Women Attending 2 Maternity Clinics in Barcelona, Spain

Abstract

We performed a prospective screening for Trypanosoma cruzi infection in 1350 Latin American pregnant women and their offspring in Barcelona, Spain. The rate of seroprevalence was 3.4%, and 7.3% of the newborns were infected. Routine screening and management programs in maternity wards may be warranted.

Mapping of Chagas disease research: analysis of publications in the period between 1940 and 2009

“…From non-endemic areas, the highest scientific production came from North America (17.9%), especially the United States, and Europe (15.8%). American trypanosomiasis has reached nonendemic zones through migrants from Latin America [3][4][5]22 . Among countries outside Latin America, the United States led in scientific production on Chagas disease.…”

“…In addition, the movement of people from Latin America to Europe, with an increasing number of them settling there, may play a part. The growing number of cases of American trypanosomiasis in non-endemic countries, the efforts to control congenital and blood-borne routes of transmission 3,4,22 , and the worldwide recognition of Chagas disease as a public health issue would probably translate into an increase in research output in the near future, advancing the search for a better way to diagnose, treat, and prevent the disease.…”

“…Chagas disease is a complex zoonosis mainly transmitted by reduviid insects. During the past years, the disease has been occurring outside Latin America, transmitted in a non-vectorial way 3,4 due to migration from endemic zones 5,6 . Today, the eradication of this disease remains elusive; the clinical manifestations and epidemiological characteristics differ with the diverse endemic zones, and there is a lack of proper treatment.…”

Benznidazole Shortage Makes Chagas Disease a Neglected Tropical Disease in Developed Countries: Data from Spain

“…These recommendations exclude patients with advanced chagasic cardiomyopathy. 4 To calculate the amount of benznidazole needed to treat adult Chagas disease patients in Spain different factors were considered (Table 1) Trypanosoma cruzi infection prevalence rates in adult migrants from Bolivia, calculated from studies performed in non-clinical settings (such as migrant associations), blooddonation centers, and maternity hospitals [6][7][8][9][10][11] : 15.5%. Around 5% of infected patients have severe disease, 20% have early visceral involvement, and 75% are asymptomatic.…”

“…This figure would be even greater if we consider the tablets needed to treat infected newborn children and adolescents, immunosuppressed patients, and non-Bolivian Chagas disease patients (the latter account for around 25% of the total number of infected patients [6][7][8][9][10][11] ). With this letter we would like to highlight that the shortage of benznidazole could become a public health problem even in non-endemic countries, as has occurred with other antiinfective drug shortages.…”