The Treatment of Chagas Disease (South American Trypanosomiasis)
Authors: João Carlos Pinto Dias
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2006)

Editorials16 May 2006The Treatment of Chagas Disease (South American Trypanosomiasis)João Carlos Pinto Dias, MD, PhDJoão Carlos Pinto Dias, MD, PhDFrom Federal University of Minas Gerais and Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-144-10-200605160-00012 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail In every way, Chagas disease remains as a sad shadow that defines poverty, as it reflects the political and social difficulties of Latin America. Its control represents a moral and ethical imperative, since the disease means a great social debt that Latin American people have incurred and must pay (1).Within a few years of his great discovery, Carlos Chagas clearly perceived the magnitude of the problem of the disease that bears his name. Contributing to his vision were the wide dispersion of infected vectors throughout Latin America, equally pervasive adverse socioeconomic conditions, and the severe morbidity and high mortality ...References1. Jörg M, Storino RA. La enfermedad de Chagas en el siglo XXI: consenso para una asignatura pendiente. Consenso Argentino sobre la Enfermedad de Chagas. Revista Argentina de Cardiología. 2002;70 Suppl 1 9-10. Google Scholar2. Chagas CR. Descoberta do Trypanosoma cruzi e verificação da tripanosomíase americana. Retrospecto histórico. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. 1922;15:67-76. CrossrefGoogle Scholar3. World Health Organization. Control of Chagas Disease. Second Report of the WHO Expert Committee. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2002. Google Scholar4. Carlier Y, Dias JC, Luquetti AO, Honteberie M, Torrico F, Truyens C. Trypanosomiase américaine ou maladie de Chagas. Enciclopédie Médico-Chirurgicale. 2002;8:505-20. Google Scholar5. Dias JC, Macedo VO. Doença de Chagas.. In: Coura JR, eds. Dinâmica das Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias. Rio de Janeiro: Guanabara Koogan Editora; 2005:557-93. Google Scholar6. Dias JC, Coura JR. Epidemiologia.. In: Dias JC, Coura JR, eds. Clínica e Terapêutica da Doença de Chagas: Um Manual Prático para o Clínico Geral. Rio de Janeiro: FIOCRUZ Editora; 1997:33-67. Google Scholar7. Viotti R, Vigliano C, Armenti H, Segura E. Treatment of chronic Chagas' disease with benznidazole: clinical and serologic evolution of patients with long-term follow-up. Am Heart J. 1994;127:151-62. [PMID: 8273735] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Rassi A, Luquetti AO, Rassi GG, Rassi A. Tratamento específico da doença de Chagas. Uma visão de 1962 a 1999. Revista de Patologia Tropical. 2000;29 Suppl 157-63. Google Scholar9. Sosa Estani S, Segura EL. [Treatment of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the indeterminate phase: experience and current guidelines in Argentina]. Medicina (B Aires). 1999;59 Suppl 2 166-70. [PMID: 10668259] MedlineGoogle Scholar10. Miranda L, Miranda I, Campos G, Marins N, Lobo V. História natural da forma crônica da doença de Chagas × tratamento específico. Revista Centro-Oeste de Cardiologia. 1994;1:25-9. Google Scholar11. Fragata Filho AA, Boinain E, Silva MA, Correia EB, Borges Fiho R, Martins C, et al. Validade do tratamento etiológico da fase crônica da doença de Chagas com Benzonidazol. Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia. 1995;65 Suppl 1 76-85. Google Scholar12. Ianni BM, Arteaga E, Mady C, Barretto AC, Luz PL, Pileggi F. Uso do benzonidazol em chagásicos na forma indeterminada: resultados a longo prazo. Arquivos da Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia. 1993;6:130-8. Google Scholar13. Macedo V, Silveira CA. Perspectivas da terapêutica específica na Doença de Chagas. Experiências na forma indeterminada. Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical. 1987;20 Suppl 2 M-24. Google Scholar14. Viotti R, Vigliano C, Lococo B, Bertocchi G, Petti M, Alvarez MG, et al. Long-term cardiac outcomes of treating chronic Chagas disease with benznidazole versus no treatment. Ann Intern Med. 2006;144:724-34. LinkGoogle Scholar15. Consenso brasileiro em doença de Chagas. Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical. 2005;38 Suppl III 1-29. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Federal University of Minas Gerais and Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil.Note: The quote at the beginning of this editorial was translated from the Spanish by Dr. Dias, with additional modifications by the Editor.Disclosures: None disclosed.Corresponding Author: João Carlos Pinto Dias, MD, PhD, Federal University of Minas Gerais and Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Augusto de Lima 1715, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, 30190-002 Brazil; e-mail, [email protected]fiocruz.br. 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