Trypanosoma cruzi in Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy Patients, Houston, Texas, USA

Emerg Infect Dis. 2021 Jul;27(7):1958-1960. doi: 10.3201/eid2707.203244.

Abstract

To investigate possible cardiac manifestations of Chagas disease, we tested 97 Latinx patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy in Houston, Texas, USA, for Trypanosoma cruzi infection. We noted a high prevalence of underdiagnosed infection and discrepant results in clinical diagnostic assays. Latinx cardiac patients in the United States would benefit from laboratory screening for T. cruzi infection.

Keywords: Chagas disease; Houston; Texas; Trypanosoma cruzi; USA; cardiomyopathy; parasites; surveillance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cardiomyopathies*
  • Chagas Disease*
  • Humans
  • Insect Vectors
  • Texas
  • Trypanosoma cruzi*
  • United States