Usefulness of PCR strategies for early diagnosis of Chagas' disease reactivation and treatment follow-up in heart transplantation

Chagas disease in the immunocompromised host

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To highlight recent advances in our understanding of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in immunocompromised individuals, a condition that is increasingly recognized as populations shift and use of immunosuppressive medications becomes more commonplace.

RECENT FINDINGS

Chagas disease screening programs should include people at risk for both Chagas disease and immunocompromise, e.g. people who have resided for ≥6 months in endemic Latin America who have an immunocompromising condition such as HIV or who are planned to start an immunosuppressive medication regimen. The goal of identifying such individuals is to allow management strategies that will reduce their risk of T. cruzi reactivation disease. For people with HIV- T. cruzi coinfection, strict adherence to antiretroviral therapy is important and antitrypanosomal treatment is urgent in the setting of symptomatic reactivation. People at risk for T. cruzi reactivation due to immunosuppression caused by advanced hematologic conditions or postsolid organ transplantation should be monitored via T. cruzi qPCR and treated with preemptive antitrypanosomal therapy if rising parasite load on serial specimens indicates reactivation. Reduction of the immunosuppressive regimen, if possible, is important.

SUMMARY

Chronic Chagas disease can lead to severe disease in immunocompromised individuals, particularly those with advanced HIV (CD4 + < 200 cells/mm 3 ) or peri-transplantation.

Reactivation of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in immunosuppressed patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The risk of Trypanosoma cruzi reactivation is poorly understood. Previous studies evaluating the risk of reactivation report imprecise findings, and recommendations for monitoring and management from clinical guidelines rely on consensus opinion.

OBJECTIVES

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the cumulative T. cruzi reactivation incidence in immunosuppressed adults, summarize the available evidence on prognostic factors for reactivation, and examine its prognostic effect on mortality.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS, Clinical Trials, and CENTRAL from inception to 4 July 2022.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Studies reporting the incidence of T. cruzi reactivation.

PARTICIPANTS

Immunosuppressed adults chronically infected by T. cruzi.

METHODS

Two authors independently extracted data (including, but not limited to, incidence data, reactivation definition, follow-up, treatment, monitoring schedule, examined prognostic factors) and evaluated the risk of bias. We pooled cumulative incidence using a random-effects model.

RESULTS

Twenty-two studies (806 participants) were included. The overall pooled incidence of T. cruzi reactivation was 27% (95% CI, 19-36), with the highest pooled proportion in the sub-group of transplant recipients (36%; 95% CI, 25-48). The highest risk period was in the first 6 months after transplant (32%; 95% CI, 17-58), decreasing drastically the number of new cases later. People living with HIV and patients with autoimmune diseases experienced significantly lower cumulative reactivation incidences (17%; 95% CI, 8-29 and 18%; 95% CI, 9-29, respectively). A single study explored the independent effect of benznidazole and found benefits for preventing reactivations. No studies evaluated the independent association between reactivation and mortality, while sensitivity analysis results using unadjusted estimates were inconclusive. The heterogeneity of diagnostic algorithms was substantial.

CONCLUSIONS

Reactivation occurs in three out of ten T. cruzi-seropositive immunosuppressed adults. These findings can assist clinicians and panel guidelines in tailoring monitoring schedules. There is a great need for an accurate definition of reactivation and targeted monitoring.

Chagas disease in immunocompromised patients

SUMMARYAs Chagas disease remains prevalent in the Americas, it is important that healthcare professionals and researchers are aware of the screening, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment recommendations for the populations of patients they care for and study. Management of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in immunocompromised hosts is challenging, particularly because, regardless of antitrypanosomal treatment status, immunocompromised patients with Chagas disease are at risk for T. cruzi reactivation, which can be lethal. Evidence-based practices to prevent and manage T. cruzi reactivation vary depending on the type of immunocompromise. Here, we review available data describing Chagas disease epidemiology, testing, and management practices for various populations of immunocompromised individuals, including people with HIV and patients undergoing solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Absolute Lymphocyte Count: a Predictor of Positive Serum PCR for Trypanosoma cruzi in Patients with Chagas Disease Undergoing Heart Transplantation

BACKGROUND

It is unknown whether lymphopenia is a risk factor for the reactivation of Chagas disease in heart transplantation (HTx), as recently described in the reactivation of cytomegalovirus in transplant patients.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether lymphopenia in the perioperative period of heart transplantation is related to early Trypanosoma cruzi parasitemia.

METHODS

This observational, retrospective study analyzed a sample from January 2014 to January 2023). Parasitemia was evaluated in the first 3 months after HTx using serum polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and compared with the total lymphocyte count in the perioperative period of HTx using receiver operating characteristic curves. Baseline characteristics were compared with PCR for Chagas using independent Cox proportional hazards models. A significance level of 5% was adopted.

RESULTS

The sample (n = 35) had a mean age of 52.5 ± 8.1 years, and 22 patients (62.8%) had positive PCR for Chagas. The mean lowest lymphocyte values in the first 14 days after HTx were 398 ± 189 and 755 ± 303 cells/mm3 in patients with and without parasitemia, respectively, within 3 months after HTx (area under the curve = 0.857; 95% confidence interval: 0.996 to 0.718, sensitivity and specificity of 83.3% and 86.4%). A cutoff value of less than 550 lymphocytes/mm3 was determined as a risk factor for the presence of parasitemia. Patients with lymphocytes < 550 units/mm3 in the first 14 days after HTx presented positive PCR in 80% of cases. For every increase of 100 lymphocytes/mm3, the risk of PCR positivity was reduced by 26% (hazard rate ratio = 0.74; 95% confidence interval: 0.59 to 0.93, p = 0.009).

CONCLUSION

There was an association between lymphopenia in the perioperative period of HTx and early T. cruzi parasitemia detected by PCR.

New insights into Trypanosoma cruzi genetic diversity, and its influence on parasite biology and clinical outcomes

Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, remains a serious public health problem worldwide. The parasite was subdivided into six distinct genetic groups, called "discrete typing units" (DTUs), from TcI to TcVI. Several studies have indicated that the heterogeneity of T. cruzi species directly affects the diversity of clinical manifestations of Chagas disease, control, diagnosis performance, and susceptibility to treatment. Thus, this review aims to describe how T. cruzi genetic diversity influences the biology of the parasite and/or clinical parameters in humans. Regarding the geographic dispersion of T. cruzi, evident differences were observed in the distribution of DTUs in distinct areas. For example, TcII is the main DTU detected in Brazilian patients from the central and southeastern regions, where there are also registers of TcVI as a secondary T. cruzi DTU. An important aspect observed in previous studies is that the genetic variability of T. cruzi can impact parasite infectivity, reproduction, and differentiation in the vectors. It has been proposed that T. cruzi DTU influences the host immune response and affects disease progression. Genetic aspects of the parasite play an important role in determining which host tissues will be infected, thus heavily influencing Chagas disease's pathogenesis. Several teams have investigated the correlation between T. cruzi DTU and the reactivation of Chagas disease. In agreement with these data, it is reasonable to suppose that the immunological condition of the patient, whether or not associated with the reactivation of the T. cruzi infection and the parasite strain, may have an important role in the pathogenesis of Chagas disease. In this context, understanding the genetics of T. cruzi and its biological and clinical implications will provide new knowledge that may contribute to additional strategies in the diagnosis and clinical outcome follow-up of patients with Chagas disease, in addition to the reactivation of immunocompromised patients infected with T. cruzi.

Circulating microRNAs as biomarkers of Chagas cardiomyopathy

Background

Chagas cardiomyopathy (CHCM) is the most important clinical manifestation of Chagas disease. The analysis of cardiac miRNAs may contribute to predicting the progression to CHCM in Chagas indeterminate phase and/or to the differential diagnosis for cardiomyopathy.

Methods

We carried out a case-control study to identify circulating miRNAs associated with CHCM. We assigned 104 participants to four groups: healthy controls (HC), Chagas non-cardiomyopathy controls, CHCM cases, and ischemic cardiomyopathy controls. We performed a clinical, echocardiographic, and laboratory evaluation and profiled circulating miRNA in the serum samples.

Results

Differences between groups were observed in clinical variables and in the analysis of miRNAs. Compared to HC, CHCM participants had 4 over-expressed and 6 under-expressed miRNAs; miR-95-3p and miR-130b-3p were upregulated in CHCM compared with controls, Chagas non-cardiomyopathy and ischemic cardiomyopathy participants, suggesting that might be a hallmark of CHCM. Analysis of gene targets associated with cardiac injury yielded results of genes involved in arrhythmia generation, cardiomegaly, and hypertrophy.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that the expression of circulating miRNAs identified by deep sequencing in CHCM could be associated with different cardiac phenotypes in CHCM subjects, compared with Chagas non-CHCM, ischemic cardiomyopathy controls, and healthy controls.

Quantitative PCR-Based Diagnosis and Follow-up of Chagas Disease Primary Infection After Solid Organ Transplant: A Multicentre Study

Chagas disease in solid organ transplant recipients may present as a primary infection (PI). Early detection is crucial for timely treatment. This is the largest observational multicentre study evaluating qPCR for early diagnosis and treatment monitoring of PI in seronegative recipients of organs from seropositive donors. Of 34 patients admitted at 5 health centers, PI was detected by qPCR in 8 (23.5%) within a posttransplant period of 40 days (interquartile range [IQR], 31-50 days). No PI was detected by the Strout test or clinical symptoms/signs. All patients had favorable treatment outcome with negative qPCR 31 days (IQR, 18-35 days) after treatment, with no posttreatment relapse episodes.

Use of sera cell free DNA (cfDNA) and exovesicle-DNA for the molecular diagnosis of chronic Chagas disease

Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease, is now considered a worldwide health concern as a result of migratory movements from Central and South America to other regions that were considered free of the disease, and where the epidemiological risk is limited to transplacental transmission or blood or organ donations from infected persons. Parasite detection in chronically ill patients is restricted to serological tests that only determine infection by previous infection and not the presence of the parasite, especially in patients undergoing treatment evaluation or in newborns. We have evaluated the use of nucleic acids from both circulating exovesicles and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from 50 samples twice randomly selected from a total of 448 serum samples from immunologically diagnosed patients in whom the presence of the parasite was confirmed by nested PCR on amplicons resulting from amplification with kinetoplastid DNA-specific primers 121F-122R. Six samples were randomly selected to quantify the limit of detection by qPCR in serum exovesicles. When the nucleic acids thus purified were assayed as a template and amplified with kinetoplastid DNA and nuclear satellite DNA primers, a 100% positivity rate was obtained for all positive samples assayed with kDNA-specific primers and 96% when SAT primers were used. However, isolation of cfDNA for Trypanosoma cruzi and amplification with SAT also showed 100% positivity. The results demonstrate that serum exovesicles contain DNA of mitochondrial and nuclear origin, which can be considered a mixed population of exovesicles of parasitic origin. The results obtained with serum samples prove that both cfDNA and Exovesicle DNA can be used to confirm parasitaemia in chronically ill patients or in samples where it is necessary to demonstrate the active presence of the parasite. The results confirm for the first time the existence of exovesicles of mitochondrial origin of the parasite in the serum of those affected by Chagas disease.

Validation of the NAT Chagas IVD Kit for the Detection and Quantification of Trypanosoma cruzi in Blood Samples of Patients with Chagas Disease

In the absence of validated biomarkers to control the cure of Chagas disease, PCR-based diagnosis is being used as the main tool for an early indication of therapeutic failure. However, since it is considered a technique of complex reproducibility, mainly due to difficulties in establishing accurate controls to guarantee the quality of the reaction, the use of PCR for Chagas disease diagnosis is restricted to specialized centers. In an effort to disseminate the molecular diagnosis of Chagas disease and its applications, new diagnostic kits based on qPCR have been made available in the market in recent years. Here, we show the results of the validation of the NAT Chagas kit (Nucleic Acid Test for Chagas Disease) for the detection and quantification of T. cruzi in blood samples of patients suspected of Chagas disease infection. The kit, composed of a TaqMan duplex reaction targeting the T. cruzi satellite nuclear DNA and an exogenous internal amplification control, presented a reportable range from 10⁴ to 0.5 parasite equivalents/mL and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.16 parasite equivalents/mL of blood. In addition, the NAT Chagas kit detected T. cruzi belonging to all six discrete typing units (DTUs-TcI to TcVI), similarly to the in-house real-time PCR performed with commercial reagents, which has been selected as the best performance assay in the international consensus for the validation of qPCR for Chagas disease. In the clinical validation presented here, the kit showed 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity when compared to the consensus in-house real-time PCR assay. Thus, the NAT Chagas kit, which is produced entirely in Brazil under the international standards of good manufacturing practices (GMP), appears as an excellent alternative to enable the molecular diagnosis of Chagas disease in public and private diagnostic centers, as well as to facilitate the monitoring of patients under etiological treatment participating in clinical trials.

Transplantation for chagas' disease: closing the knowledge gap

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW

This review examines the most recent literature on the epidemiology and treatment of Chagas Disease and the risk of Chagas Disease Reactivation and donor-derived disease in solid organ transplant recipients.

RECENT FINDINGS

Chagas disease is caused by infection with the parasite Trypansoma cruzi . In nonendemic countries the disease is seen primarily in immigrants from Mexico, Central America and South America where the disease is endemic. Benznidazole or nifurtimox can be used for treatment. Posaconazole and fosravuconazole did not provide any additional benefit compared to benznidazole alone or in combination. A phase 2 randomized controlled trial suggests that shorter or reduced dosed regimes of benznidazole could be used. Based on a large randomized controlled trial, benznidazole is unlikely to have a significant preventive effect for established Chagas cardiomyopathy. Transplantation has become the treatment of choice for individuals with refractory Chagas cardiomyopathy. Cohort studies show similar posttransplant outcomes for these patients compared to other indications. Transplant candidates and donors with chronic T. cruzi infection are at risk for Chagas disease reactivation and transmitting infection. Screening them via serology is the first line of prevention. Recipients with chronic infection and those receiving organs from infected donors should undergo sequential monitoring with polymerase chain reaction for early detection of reactivation and preemptive treatment with antitrypanosomal therapy.

SUMMARY

Patients with chronic T. cruzi infection can be safely transplanted and be noncardiac organ donors.

Parasitological, serological and molecular diagnosis of acute and chronic Chagas disease: from field to laboratory

There is no consensus on the diagnostic algorithms for many scenarios of Trypanosoma cruzi infection, which hinders the establishment of governmental guidelines in endemic and non-endemic countries. In the acute phase, parasitological methods are currently employed, and standardised surrogate molecular tests are being introduced to provide higher sensitivity and less operator-dependence. In the chronic phase, IgG-based serological assays are currently used, but if a single assay does not reach the required accuracy, PAHO/WHO recommends at least two immunological tests with different technical principles. Specific algorithms are applied to diagnose congenital infection, screen blood and organ donors or conduct epidemiological surveys. Detecting Chagas disease reactivation in immunosuppressed individuals is an area of increasing interest. Due to its neglect, enhancing access to diagnosis of patients at risk of suffering T. cruzi infection should be a priority at national and regional levels.

Membrane Technology for Rapid Point-of-Care Diagnostics for Parasitic Neglected Tropical Diseases

Parasitic neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect over one billion people worldwide, with individuals from communities in low-socioeconomic areas being most at risk and suffering the most. Disease management programs are hindered by the lack of infrastructure and resources for clinical sample collection, storage, and transport and a dearth of sensitive diagnostic methods that are inexpensive as well as accurate. Many diagnostic tests and tools have been developed for the parasitic NTDs, but the collection and storage of clinical samples for molecular and immunological diagnosis can be expensive due to storage, transport, and reagent costs, making these procedures untenable in most areas of endemicity. The application of membrane technology, which involves the use of specific membranes for either sample collection and storage or diagnostic procedures, can streamline this process, allowing for long-term sample storage at room temperature. Membrane technology can be used in serology-based diagnostic assays and for nucleic acid purification prior to molecular analysis. This facilitates the development of relatively simple and rapid procedures, although some of these methods, mainly due to costs, lack accessibility in low-socioeconomic regions of endemicity. New immunological procedures and nucleic acid storage, purification, and diagnostics protocols that are simple, rapid, accurate, and cost-effective must be developed as countries progress control efforts toward the elimination of the parasitic NTDs.

Chagas Disease in People with HIV: A Narrative Review

Many questions remain unanswered regarding the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in people with HIV (PWH). The reported prevalence of T. cruzi infection in PWH living in endemic countries ranges from 1-28% and is likely similar in at-risk US populations. While classic cardiac and gastrointestinal presentations of chronic Chagas disease occur in PWH, PWH are additionally at risk for a severe and often fatal form of T. cruzi-mediated disease called reactivation disease. T. cruzi reactivation typically occurs in PWH with low CD4 counts and poor virologic control. National HIV guidelines in several endemic South American countries recommend that all PWH be screened for T. cruzi infection at the time of HIV diagnosis; however, this recommendation is not widely implemented. The early detection of T. cruzi infection in PWH is critical as the sequelae of Chagas disease, including T. cruzi reactivation, may be preventable through the restoration of robust cellular immunity via the initiation of antiretroviral therapy and the appropriate use of antitrypanosomal therapy.

Lobular panniculitis of the thigh as the only cutaneous manifestation of reactivation of Chagas disease in a renal transplant patient: a case report

Reactivation of chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) has been reported. The patient presented with a 2-week history of two painful erythematous, infiltrated plaques with central ulceration and necrotic crust on the left thigh. She had a history of chronic indeterminate Chagas disease (CD) and had received a kidney transplant before 2 months. Skin biopsies revealed lobular panniculitis with intracellular amastigote forms of T. cruzi. The patient was diagnosed with CD reactivation. Treatment with benznidazole significantly improved her condition. CD reactivation should be suspected in SOTRs living in endemic areas with clinical polymorphism of skin lesions.

Surveillance of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Triatomine vectors, feral dogs and cats, and wild animals in and around El Paso county, Texas, and New Mexico

The causative agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, is transmitted by triatomine vectors. The insect is endemic in the Americas, including the United States, where epidemiological studies are limited, particularly in the Southwestern region. Here, we have determined the prevalence of T. cruzi in triatomines, feral cats and dogs, and wild animals, the infecting parasite genotypes and the mammalian host bloodmeal sources of the triatomines at four different geographical sites in the U.S.-Mexico border, including El Paso County, Texas, and nearby cities in New Mexico. Using qualitative polymerase chain reaction to detect T. cruzi infections, we found 66.4% (n = 225) of triatomines, 45.3% (n = 95) of feral dogs, 39.2% (n = 24) of feral cats, and 71.4% (n = 7) of wild animals positive for T. cruzi. Over 95% of T. cruzi genotypes or discrete typing units (DTUs) identified were TcI and some TcIV. Furthermore, Triatoma rubida was the triatomine species most frequently (98.2%) collected in all samples analyzed. These findings suggest a high prevalence of T. cruzi infections among triatomines, and feral and wild animals in the studied sites. Therefore, our results underscore the urgent need for implementation of a systematic epidemiological surveillance program for T. cruzi infections in insect vectors, and feral and wild animals, and Chagas disease in the human population in the southwestern region of the United States.

Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and one of the major transmission routes is the contaminated feces of blood-feeding triatomine insect vectors, popularly known as kissing bugs. In recent years, this disease has become an important public health concern to the United States and other nonendemic regions of the world. Despite many studies about the prevalence of T. cruzi in triatomines, and domestic, feral and wild animals in central and southern Texas, there have been no studies in west Texas and New Mexico. In this study, we report the presence of triatomines in residences in El Paso County, TX, and surrounding communities in New Mexico (cities of Anthony and Las Cruces), as well as T. cruzi infections in feral and wild animals. Using two molecular techniques to analyze the bloodmeal source in triatomines, we detected 12 different mammalian bloodmeal sources, including human and canine. Finally, parasite genotyping showed that most (95%) of the samples belonged to the genotype TcI, which is prevalent in North America. Our findings indicate that the El Paso County and surrounding communities (>950,000 people) are high risk areas for T. cruzi transmission to humans, feral cats and dogs, and wild animals. Thus, there is an urgent necessity for a public health epidemiological surveillance program for T. cruzi infections in kissing bugs, feral and wild animals, and in the human population in the U.S.-Mexico border region.

Fatal Chagas myocarditis in government working dogs in the southern United States: Cross-reactivity and differential diagnoses in five cases across six months

We describe the diagnostics surrounding the deaths of five working dogs over six-months to provide an enhanced clinical and diagnostic understanding of canine Chagas disease. Cases were five dogs with antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi. Medical records were reviewed for diagnostic history. Testing was performed from samples collected before or immediately after death, including measurement of cardiac troponin I, histology, PCR and serology for Leishmania spp. and T. cruzi. Four dogs had a 2 to 7-year history of T. cruzi antibodies, while one positive dog had an unknown duration of exposure. Age at death ranged from 2 to 11 years and four dogs were actively working. The cardiac troponin I was elevated in all four dogs for which it was measured, although postmortem reference ranges are not established. Histopathologic diagnoses included mild to severe, chronic, lymphoplasmacytic to histiocytic myocarditis with variable fibrosis. Notably, only one dog had T. cruzi amastigotes observed in the heart histologically. T. cruzi DNA was detected in three other hearts. Although all five dogs tested antibody-positive for T. cruzi using three independent tests, all were also indirect fluorescent antibody-positive for Leishmania spp., interpreted as cross-reaction. Chagas disease in dogs is a diagnostic challenge owing to cross-reactions and variable clinical, histologic and molecular presentations. The use and interpretation of multiple diagnostic strategies is useful in diagnosis. This study demonstrates techniques used to diagnose and characterize Chagas disease in an at-risk dog population.

Benznidazole as Prophylaxis for Chagas Disease Infection Reactivation in Heart Transplant Patients: A Case Series in Brazil

Background—Patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy (CC) have high mortality, and CC is a common indication for heart transplantation (HTx) in endemic countries. Chagas disease reactivation (CDR) is common after transplantation and is likely to cause adverse outcomes unless detected and treated appropriately. This study reviews our experiences with HTx among patients with CC, and the use of benznidazole (BZ) before transplantation. Methods—During the 18-year period from 1996 through 2014, 70 of 353 patients who underwent HTx (19.8%) had CC, and 53 patients met the inclusion criteria. The effectiveness of prophylactic treatment with BZ (dose of 5 mg/kg/day, two times per day, for at least four weeks and for a maximum of eight weeks) was determined based on the observed reduction in the incidence of CDR during the post-HTx period. Results—Prophylactic therapy was administered to 18/53 patients (34.0%). During the follow-up period, the incidence rate of CDR in our study was 34.0% (18/53). Based on logistic regression analysis, only prophylaxis (OR = 0.12; CI 0.02–0.76; p = 0.025) was considered to protect against CDR. Conclusion—Our study suggests that the use of BZ may reduce the incidence of CDR in patients undergoing HTx and warrants further investigation in a prospective, randomized trial.

Trypanosoma cruzi loop-mediated isothermal amplification (Trypanosoma cruzi Loopamp) kit for detection of congenital, acute and Chagas disease reactivation

A Trypanosoma cruzi Loopamp kit was recently developed as a ready-to-use diagnostic method requiring minimal laboratory facilities. We evaluated its diagnostic accuracy for detection of acute Chagas disease (CD) in different epidemiological and clinical scenarios. In this retrospective study, a convenience series of clinical samples (venous blood treated with EDTA or different stabilizer agents, heel-prick blood in filter paper or cerebrospinal fluid samples (CSF)) from 30 infants born to seropositive mothers (13 with congenital CD and 17 noninfected), four recipients of organs from CD donors, six orally-infected cases after consumption of contaminated guava juice and six CD patients coinfected with HIV at risk of CD reactivation (N = 46 patients, 46 blood samples and 1 CSF sample) were tested by T. cruzi Loopamp kit (Tc LAMP) and standardized quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). T. cruzi Loopamp accuracy was estimated using the case definition in the different groups as a reference. Cohen's kappa coefficient (κ) was applied to measure the agreement between Tc LAMP (index test) and qPCR (reference test). Sensitivity and specificity of T. cruzi Loopamp kit in blood samples from the pooled clinical groups was 93% (95% CI: 77-99) and 100% (95% CI: 80-100) respectively. The agreement between Tc LAMP and qPCR was almost perfect (κ = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.62-1.00). The T. cruzi Loopamp kit was sensitive and specific for detection of T. cruzi infection. It was carried out from DNA extracted from peripheral blood samples (via frozen EDTA blood, guanidine hydrochloride-EDTA blood, DNAgard blood and dried blood spots), as well as in CSF specimens infected with TcI or TcII/V/VI parasite populations. The T. cruzi Loopamp kit appears potentially useful for rapid detection of T. cruzi infection in congenital, acute and CD reactivation due to HIV infection.

Presence of Acute Chagas Disease Among Febrile Patients in the Western Coast of Mexico

Chagas disease (ChD) is a parasitosis caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (Tc). It is endemic to almost all Latin American countries, including the southern United States. The acute form of ChD and its actual incidence have rarely been described in Mexico, despite the extensive presence of favorable niches for its transmission. The objective of this study was to estimate the frequency of acute ChD in febrile patients at the central Pacific coast of Mexico. For this, we surveyed patients with persistent fever (5 to 10 days) in five hospitals at the Mexican states of Jalisco, Colima, and Nayarit in 2012. Samples were taken from a total of 485 patients to detect Tc in blood using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and direct microscopic examination. Of these subjects, 10 were positive for PCR and none for microscopic examination (2% in 12 months). We adjusted this rate by the total people at risk in the area and obtained an incidence of 7.4/100,000 habs./year. The positive cases showed no association with sex, rural settlement, or pet ownership, only with the contact with Triatominae insects (odds ratio = 9.22 and confidence interval: 1.93-44.06). The clinical picture of positive patients showed an association with the diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infections. Meanwhile, only one fatal case showed the typical picture of acute fatal cardiomyopathy. The pulmonary manifestations of our patients suggest possible lung pathogenicity of Tc, which merits further investigation. Our findings differ markedly from the official reports for ChD. This difference suggests an underestimation of the disease. These findings urge the Mexican health authorities to implement more vigorous actions aimed at improving medical skills in the timely diagnosis of ChD, as well as to apply efficient preventive programs.

Chagas Disease Infection Reactivation after Heart Transplant

Chagas disease, caused by a Trypanosona cruzi infection, is one of the main causes of heart failure in Latin America. It was originally a health problem endemic to South America, predominantly affecting residents of poor rural areas. With globalization and increasing migratory flows from these areas to large cities, the immigration of T. cruzi chronically-infected people to developed, non-endemic countries has occurred. This issue has emerged as an important consideration for heart transplant professionals. Currently, Chagas patients with end-stage heart failure may need a heart transplantation (HTx). This implies that in post-transplant immunosuppression therapy to avoid rejection in the recipient, there is the possibility of T. cruzi infection reactivation, increasing the morbidity and mortality rates. The management of heart transplant recipients due to Chagas disease requires awareness for early recognition and parasitic treatment of T. cruzi infection reactivation. This issue poses challenges for heart transplant professionals, especially regarding the differential diagnosis between rejection and reactivation episodes. The aim of this review is to discuss the complexity of the Chagas disease reactivation phenomenon in patients submitted to HTx for end-stage chagasic cardiomyopathy.

Chagas Disease in the United States: a Public Health Approach

Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas disease, usually transmitted by triatomine vectors. An estimated 20 to 30% of infected individuals develop potentially lethal cardiac or gastrointestinal disease. Sylvatic transmission cycles exist in the southern United States, involving 11 triatomine vector species and infected mammals such as rodents, opossums, and dogs. Nevertheless, imported chronic T. cruzi infections in migrants from Latin America vastly outnumber locally acquired human cases. Benznidazole is now FDA approved, and clinical and public health efforts are under way by researchers and health departments in a number of states. Making progress will require efforts to improve awareness among providers and patients, data on diagnostic test performance and expanded availability of confirmatory testing, and evidence-based strategies to improve access to appropriate management of Chagas disease in the United States.

Reactivation of Chagas disease in a heart transplant patient infected by sylvatic Trypanosoma cruzi discrete typing unit I

Heart transplantation is an effective treatment for Chagas disease patients with severe cardiomyopathy. However, Trypanosoma cruzi reactivation is of great concern. The T. cruzi parasite is classified into six discrete typing units (DTUs identified as TcI-TcVI). It is unknown whether there is an association between T. cruzi genetic lineages and the different clinical manifestations of the disease. We report the case of a 51-year-old man who received a heart transplantation and presented with a reactivation of the disease. The molecular characterization of the parasite showed that the reactivation was related to specific infection by a DTU I (TcISYL) parasite.

Tissue and blood protozoa including toxoplasmosis, Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, Babesia, Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia, and Naegleria in solid organ transplant recipients- Guidelines from the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice

These updated guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Community of Practice of the American Society of Transplantation review the diagnosis, prevention, and management of tissue and blood protozoal infections in the pre- and post-transplant period. Significant new developments in the field have made it necessary to divide the previous single guideline published in 2013 into two sections, with the intestinal parasites separated from this guideline devoted to tissue and blood protozoa. The current update reflects the increased focus on donor screening and risk-based recipient monitoring for parasitic infections. Increased donor testing has led to new recommendations for recipient management of Toxoplasma gondii and Trypanosoma cruzi. Molecular diagnostics have impacted the field, with access to rapid diagnostic testing for malaria and polymerase chain reaction testing for Leishmania. Changes in Babesia treatment regimens in the immunocompromised host are outlined. The risk of donor transmission of free-living amebae infection is reviewed. Changing immigration patterns and the expansion of transplant medicine in developing countries has contributed to the recognition of parasitic infections as an important threat to transplant outcomes. Medications such as benznidazole and miltefosine are now available to US prescribers as access to treatment of tissue and blood protozoa is increasingly prioritized.

Improved DNA extraction technique from clot for the diagnosis of Chagas disease

Background

The detection of Trypanosoma cruzi genetic material in clinical samples is considered an important diagnostic tool for Chagas disease. We have previously demonstrated that PCR using clot samples yields greater sensitivity than either buffy coat or whole blood samples. However, phenol-chloroform DNA extraction from clot samples is difficult and toxic. The objective of the present study was to improve and develop a more sensitive method to recover parasite DNA from clot samples for the diagnosis of Chagas disease.

Methodology/Principal findings

A total of 265 match pair samples of whole blood–guanidine (GEB) and clot samples were analyzed; 150 were from Chagas seropositive subjects. DNA was extracted from both whole blood-guanidine samples, using a previously standardized methodology, and from clot samples, using a newly developed methodology based on a combination of the FastPrep technique and the standard method for GEB extraction. A qPCR targeting the nuclear satellite sequences was used to compare the sample source and the extraction method. Of the 150 samples from Chagas positive individuals by serology, 47 samples tested positive by qPCR with DNA extracted by both GEB and clot, but an additional 13 samples tested positive only in DNA extracted from clot. No serology-negative samples resulted positive when tested by qPCR.

Conclusions

The new methodology for DNA extraction from clot samples improves the molecular diagnosis of Chagas disease.

Detection of nucleic acid has become an important tool for the diagnosis of Chagas disease. Whole blood samples are usually the source of DNA and qPCR the preferred technique to demonstrate the presence of T. cruzi DNA. Although DNA extracted from clot samples has shown higher sensitivity than from whole blood, DNA extraction is performed using phenol-chloroform, which has biohazard issues. We theorize that a clot traps parasites, making it a better source of DNA for Chagas diagnosis using PCR. The present study describes a new DNA extraction methodology from clot samples which avoids the use of phenol-chloroform. The new methodology was compared to the internationally standardized diagnostic method, which is based on extraction of DNA from whole blood preserved with guanidine EDTA and a commercial kit.

Assessing Parasite Load in Chagas Disease Patients by Quantitative Multiplex Real-Time PCR

The development of accurate diagnostic tools and surrogate markers of parasitological response to treatment are priorities in Chagas disease (CD) research. For years, the detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA by PCR has proved to be useful in some clinical scenarios like acute CD, including cases of congenital transmission, CD reactivation in immunosuppressed patients, and posttreatment follow-up. In that sense, the implementation of quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assays was an important step in the development of more reliable tools for CD molecular diagnostics and treatment follow-up. In the last decade, two multicenter PCR studies allowed the harmonization and validation of standard operating procedures for PCR-based detection and quantification of T. cruzi DNA in blood samples. Herein we describe the two most used protocols to quantify parasitic load in human blood samples by multiplex qPCR assays and discuss some aspects to consider during planning and executing these procedures.

Chagas Cardiomyopathy: An Update of Current Clinical Knowledge and Management: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Background:

Chagas disease, resulting from the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi , is an important cause of heart failure, stroke, arrhythmia, and sudden death. Traditionally regarded as a tropical disease found only in Central America and South America, Chagas disease now affects at least 300 000 residents of the United States and is growing in prevalence in other traditionally nonendemic areas. Healthcare providers and health systems outside of Latin America need to be equipped to recognize, diagnose, and treat Chagas disease and to prevent further disease transmission.

Methods and Results:

The American Heart Association and the Inter-American Society of Cardiology commissioned this statement to increase global awareness among providers who may encounter patients with Chagas disease outside of traditionally endemic environments. In this document, we summarize the most updated information on diagnosis, screening, and treatment of T cruzi infection, focusing primarily on its cardiovascular aspects. This document also provides quick reference tables, highlighting salient considerations for a patient with suspected or confirmed Chagas disease.

Conclusions:

This statement provides a broad summary of current knowledge and practice in the diagnosis and management of Chagas cardiomyopathy. It is our intent that this document will serve to increase the recognition of Chagas cardiomyopathy in low-prevalence areas and to improve care for patients with Chagas heart disease around the world.

Molecular diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi

Chagas disease, caused by the kinetoplastid protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, affects millions of people, most of them neglected populations. The different phases of the disease, the transmission mode and the high genetic variability of the parasite determine that molecular detection methods display different degree of success. Molecular diagnostic tests may be employed during epidemiological surveys of transmission, for early diagnosis of congenital transmission and acute infections due to oral transmission, transfusion or transplantation routes, reactivation due to immunosuppression and monitoring of treatment response in chronically infected patients receiving trypanocidal chemotherapy. This manuscript summarizes the most widely used molecular tools to detect T. cruzi infection in different epidemiological and clinical scenarios.

Solid Organ Transplant and Parasitic Diseases: A Review of the Clinical Cases in the Last Two Decades

The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of parasitic infections in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. We conducted a systematic review of literature records on post-transplant parasitic infections, published from 1996 to 2016 and available on PubMed database, focusing only on parasitic infections acquired after SOT. The methods and findings of the present review have been presented based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist. From data published in the literature, the real burden of parasitic infections among SOT recipients cannot really be estimated. Nevertheless, publications on the matter are on the increase, probably due to more than one reason: (i) the increasing number of patients transplanted and then treated with immunosuppressive agents; (ii) the “population shift” resulting from immigration and travels to endemic areas, and (iii) the increased attention directed to diagnosis/notification/publication of cases. Considering parasitic infections as emerging and potentially serious in their evolution, additional strategies for the prevention, careful screening and follow-up, with a high level of awareness, identification, and pre-emptive therapy are needed in transplant recipients.

Anti-infective chemoprophylaxis after solid-organ transplantation

INTRODUCTION

Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are at high risk of opportunistic infections due to bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic pathogens. Anti-infective prophylaxis is a time-tested proven strategy for the prevention of these infections after SOT. Areas covered: The current recommendations for the prevention of surgical site infections, herpes simplex, cytomegalovirus, invasive fungal infections, and selected parasitic diseases are highlighted. Recent peer-reviewed publications on the prevention of infection after SOT were reviewed and their significance was discussed in the context of the current recommendations for preventing infectious complications. Expert commentary: The authors comment on the current approaches to infection prevention in transplant recipients, and discuss how these recommendations are implemented in their clinical practice. Notable findings published during the past year were highlighted, and their clinical significance was interpreted in the context of current recommendations. The evolution of diagnostic and immunologic assays was emphasized, with focus on their potential role in optimizing the current antimicrobial approaches to infection prevention after SOT.

An unusual case of congestive heart failure in the Netherlands

Introduction

Chagas disease is caused by infection with the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. It is endemic to the American continent due to the distribution of its insect vectors. The disease is occasionally imported to other continents by travel of infected individuals. It is rarely diagnosed in the Netherlands and exact numbers of infected individuals are unknown. Clinical manifestations can start with an acute phase of 4-8 weeks with non-specific, mild symptoms and febrile illness. In the chronic phase, it can lead to fatal cardiac and gastro-intestinal complications.

Case presentation

We describe a case of a 40-year-old man with end-stage cardiomyopathy due to Chagas disease. He lived in Surinam for more than 20 years and had an unremarkable medical history until he was hospitalized due to pneumonia and congestive heart failure. Despite antibiotic treatment and optimizing cardiac medication, his disease progressed to end-stage heart failure for which cardiac transplantation was the only remaining treatment. A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) was implanted as a bridge to transplantation. Tissue analysis after LVAD surgery revealed ongoing myocarditis caused by Chagas disease. Based on a literature review, a scheme for follow up and treatment after transplantation was postulated.

Conclusion

Chagas disease should be taken into account in patients from endemic countries who have corresponding clinical signs. Heart transplantation in patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy is accompanied by specific challenges due to the required immunosuppressive therapy and the thereby increased risk of reactivation of a latent T. cruzi infection.

Prevalence of Chagas Disease among Solid Organ-Transplanted Patients in a Nonendemic Country

Reactivation of Chagas disease in the chronic phase may occur after solid organ transplantation, which may result in high parasitemia and severe clinical manifestations such as myocarditis and meningoencephalitis. The aim of the present study is to describe the prevalence of Chagas disease among solid organ-transplanted patients in a tertiary hospital from a nonendemic country. A cross-sectional study was performed at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital (Barcelona, Spain) from April to September 2016. Chagas disease screening was performed through serological tests in adult patients coming from endemic areas that had received solid organ transplantation and were being controlled in our hospital during the study period. Overall, 42 patients were included, 20 (47.6%) were male and median age was 50.5 (23-73) years. Transplanted organs were as follows: 18 kidneys, 17 lungs, and 7 livers. Three patients had Chagas disease, corresponding to a prevalence among this group of solid organ-transplanted patients of 7.1%. All three patients were born in Bolivia, had been diagnosed with Chagas disease and received specific treatment before the organ transplantation. We highly recommend providing screening tests for Chagas disease in patients with or candidates for solid organ transplantation coming from endemic areas, early treatment with benznidazole, and close follow-up to prevent clinical reactivations.

Analytical sensitivity and specificity of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) kit prototype for detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in human blood samples

This study aimed to assess analytical parameters of a prototype LAMP kit that was designed for detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in human blood. The prototype is based on the amplification of the highly repetitive satellite sequence of T.cruzi in microtubes containing dried reagents on the inside of the caps. The reaction is carried out at 65°C during 40 minutes. Calcein allows direct detection of amplified products with the naked eye. Inclusivity and selectivity were tested in purified DNA from Trypanosoma cruzi stocks belonging to the six discrete typing units (DTUs), in DNA from other protozoan parasites and in human DNA. Analytical sensitivity was estimated in serial dilutions of DNA samples from Sylvio X10 (Tc I) and CL Brener (Tc VI) stocks, as well as from EDTA-treated or heparinized blood samples spiked with known amounts of cultured epimastigotes (CL Brener). LAMP sensitivity was compared after DNA extraction using commercial fiberglass columns or after “Boil & Spin” rapid preparation. Moreover, the same DNA and EDTA-blood spiked samples were subjected to standardized qPCR based on the satellite DNA sequence for comparative purposes. A panel of peripheral blood specimens belonging to Chagas disease patients, including acute, congenital, chronic and reactivated cases (N = 23), as well as seronegative controls (N = 10) were evaluated by LAMP in comparison to qPCR. LAMP was able to amplify DNAs from T. cruzi stocks representative of the six DTUs, whereas it did not amplify DNAs from Leishmania sp, T. brucei sp, T. rangeli KPN+ and KPN-, P. falciparum and non-infected human DNA. Analytical sensitivity was 1x10^-2 fg/μL of both CL Brener and Sylvio X10 DNAs, whereas qPCR detected up to 1x 10⁻¹ fg/μL of CL Brener DNA and 1 fg/μl of Sylvio X10 DNA. LAMP detected 1x10^-2 parasite equivalents/mL in spiked EDTA blood and 1x10^-1 par.eq/mL in spiked heparinized blood using fiberglass columns for DNA extraction, whereas qPCR detected 1x10^-2 par.eq./mL in EDTA blood. Boil & Spin extraction allowed detection of 1x10^-2 par.eq /mL in spiked EDTA blood and 1 par.eq/ml in heparinized blood. LAMP was able to detect T.cruzi infection in peripheral blood samples collected from well-characterised seropositive patients, including acute, congenital, chronic and reactivated Chagas disease. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a prototype LAMP kit with appropriate analytical sensitivity for diagnosis of Chagas disease patients, and potentially useful for monitoring treatment response.

Trypanosoma cruzi, a parasite transmitted to humans from hematophagous insects, causes Chagas Disease, a Neglected Tropical Disease with public health impact, affecting 7 million people in Latin America. Although mainly related to low income populations inhabiting rural environments, migrations have conveyed Chagas Disease to urban areas of endemic and non-endemic countries. It often presents non-specific symptoms, and direct, low cost microscopy-based diagnosis only detects acute infections, missing a high proportion of cases. Serology is the “gold standard” diagnostic technique for chronic stages and needs the concordance of at least two different assays to confirm infection. In this context, we aimed to evaluate the analytical sensitivity and specificity of a prototype kit based on a novel and rapid molecular biology reaction, named Loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), using standardized Real Time PCR as a comparator. To our knowledge, this is the first LAMP prototype kit with an analytical performance appropriate for human diagnosis of Chagas disease and potentially useful for monitoring treatment response. Its simple handling using basic laboratory devices will enable point-of-care diagnosis and screening for congenital infection at birth as well as early detection of acute infections due to oral contamination.

Molecular diagnostics for Chagas disease: up to date and novel methodologies

INTRODUCTION

Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It affects 7 million people, mainly in Latin America. Diagnosis is usually made serologically, but at some clinical scenarios serology cannot be used. Then, molecular detection is required for early detection of congenital transmission, treatment response follow up, and diagnosis of immune-suppression reactivation. However, present tests are technically demanding and require well-equipped laboratories which make them unfeasible in low-resources endemic regions. Areas covered: Available molecular tools for detection of T. cruzi DNA, paying particular attention to quantitative PCR protocols, and to the latest developments of user-friendly molecular diagnostic methodologies. Expert commentary: In the absence of appropriate biomarkers, molecular diagnosis is the only option for the assessment of treatment response. Besides, it is very useful for the early detection of acute infections, like congenital cases. Since current Chagas disease molecular tests are restricted to referential labs, research efforts must focus in the implementation of easy-to-use diagnostic tools in order to overcome the access to diagnosis gap.

Early polymerase chain reaction detection of Chagas disease reactivation in heart transplant patients

BACKGROUND

Heart transplantation is a valuable therapeutic option for Chagas disease patients with severe cardiomyopathy. During patient follow-up, the differential diagnosis between cardiac transplant rejection and Chagas disease infection reactivation remains a challenging task, which hinders rapid implementation of the appropriate treatment. Herein we investigate whether polymerase chain reaction (PCR) strategies could facilitate early detection of Trypanosoma cruzi (T cruzi) in transplanted endomyocardial biopsies (EMBs).

METHODS

In this study we analyzed 500 EMB specimens obtained from 58 chagasic cardiac transplant patients, using PCR approaches targeted to nuclear (rDNA 24Sα) and kinetoplastid (kDNA) markers, and compared the efficiency of these approaches with that of other tests routinely used.

RESULTS

T cruzi DNA was detected in 112 EMB specimens derived from 39 patients (67.2%). The first positive result occurred at a median 1.0 month post-transplant. Conventional histopathologic, blood smear and hemoculture analyses showed lower sensitivity and higher median time to the first positive result. Patient follow-up revealed that 31 of 39 PCR-positive cases presented clinical reactivation of Chagas disease at different time-points after transplantation. PCR techniques showed considerable sensitivity (0.82) and specificity (0.60), with area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of 0.708 (p = 0.001). Moreover, PCR techniques anticipated the clinical signs of Chagas disease reactivation by up to 36 months, with a median time of 6 months and an average of 9.1 months.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a good association between the PCR diagnosis and the clinical signs of the disease, indicating that the PCR approaches used herein are suitable for early diagnosis of Chagas disease reactivation, with high potential to assist physicians in treatment decisions. For this purpose, an algorithm is proposed for surveillance based on the molecular tests.

Microbiological laboratory diagnostics of neglected zoonotic diseases (NZDs)

This review reports on laboratory diagnostic approaches for selected, highly pathogenic neglected zoonotic diseases, i.e. anthrax, bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis, echinococcosis, leishmaniasis, rabies, Taenia solium-associated diseases (neuro-/cysticercosis & taeniasis) and trypanosomiasis. Diagnostic options, including microscopy, culture, matrix-assisted laser-desorption-ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry, molecular approaches and serology are introduced. These procedures are critically discussed regarding their diagnostic reliability and state of evaluation. For rare diseases reliable evaluation data are scarce due to the rarity of samples. If bio-safety level 3 is required for cultural growth, but such high standards of laboratory infrastructure are not available, serological and molecular approaches from inactivated sample material might be alternatives. Multiple subsequent testing using various test platforms in a stepwise approach may improve sensitivity and specificity. Cheap and easy to use tests, usually called "rapid diagnostic tests" (RDTs) may impact disease control measures, but should not preclude developing countries from state of the art diagnostics.

Pathology of Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy in the United States: A Detailed Review of 13 Cardiectomy Cases

OBJECTIVES

The pathologic features of chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy may not be widely appreciated in the United States. We sought to describe the gross, microscopic, immunohistochemical, and molecular pathology features useful to diagnose chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy.

METHODS

The features from a case series of cardiectomy specimens of patients undergoing heart transplantation (12 patients) or mechanical circulatory support device implantation (one patient) for chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy at three institutions in the United States are reported and analyzed.

RESULTS

Gross findings included enlarged and dilated ventricles (100% of cases), mural thrombi (54%), epicardial plaques (42%), and left ventricular aneurysm (36%). Microscopic evaluation revealed myocarditis (100% of cases) characterized by mononuclear cell infiltration, fibrosis (100%), nonnecrotizing granulomas (62%), and giant cells (38%). Two specimens (15%) showed rare intracellular amastigotes. Immunohistochemical assays for Trypanosoma cruzi organisms were negative in all cardiectomy specimens, whereas tissue polymerase chain reaction was positive in six (54%) of 11 cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The gross and microscopic features of chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy in the United States appear similar to those reported in endemic countries. Importantly, tissue polymerase chain reaction may be useful to confirm the diagnosis.

[Update Chagas disease]

The constant migration flows have favored the presence of people with Chagas disease in regions traditionally regarded as non-endemic, such as North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. This has forced both health authorities and professionals to be updated in order to respond to such a demand for assistance. Recent years have led to significant progress in the field of diagnosis and treatment of Chagas disease, one of the most neglected tropical diseases. Recent clinical trials are providing new evidence that makes the management of these patients, a constant challenge for the professionals involved. Innovative diagnostic tools and therapeutic regimens, allow us to face the future of Chagas disease with optimism.