Chagas´ infection in universitary students of Santa Fe (Argentina)

Abstract

American trypanosomiasis is transmitted by the bite of blood-sucking bugs Triatoma (in most cases), congenital infection, or by transfusion of infected blood. During the acute stage it is generally asymptomatic and during the chronic stage it can lead to heart problems (most commonly), or digestive problems.

The etiological treatment is more effective in acute cases and in children under 15 with chronic infection.

Our objective was to determine: a) the existence of infected young people that missed the opportunity of being treated because they were too old when the diagnosis was carried out b) how they were probably infected.

14,374 people who joined the universities in Santa Fe were studied between March 2004 and July 2008. Serology for Chagas and surveys to collect data on possible ways of transmission were carried out.

20 people infected with Chagas were identified; 80% of them were under 25 years old. 4 of them were probably infected congenitally, 3 by blood transfusion and 3 by vectors. It was not possible to determine the way of transmission in 10 of them.

We concluded that if they had been checked for Chagas when they started school, these young people infected with Chagas could have probably received the trypanocidal treatment at the right time. It is important to consider all the ways of transmission in these people.