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Chagas disease in Latin American pregnant immigrants: experience in a non-endemic country - PubMed

. 2012 Apr;285(4):919-23.

doi: 10.1007/s00404-011-2081-9. Epub 2011 Sep 17.

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Chagas disease in Latin American pregnant immigrants: experience in a non-endemic country

José M Ramos et al. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2012 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: Chagas disease is a systemic chronic parasitic infection by Trypanosoma cruzi endemic in Latin America. Migration of women of childbearing age from Latin America to developed countries may spread the disease to non-endemic areas through vertical transmission.

Methods: Prospective study of seroprevalence of T. cruzi infection in immigrant Latin American pregnant women during a 5-year period (from 2006 to 2010) in Spain.

Results: Seven out of 545 participants were seropositive for T. cruzi [prevalence 1.28%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.06-2.56]. Four (57%) were from Bolivia and three (43.%) from Paraguay. The seroprevalence in pregnant women from Bolivia was 10.26% (95% CI 4.06-23.58) and in participants from Paraguay was 6.52% (95% CI 2.24-17.5). No congenital transmission occurred.

Conclusions: Seroprevalence of T. cruzi infection in Latin American pregnant women coming from Bolivia and Paraguay is high. Those women should be screened for T. cruzi to control mother-to-child transmission in non-endemic areas.

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