Congenital Chagas disease: progress toward implementation of pregnancy-based screening.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Lack of recognition of congenital Chagas disease in infants of mothers from endemic regions who are living in countries nonendemic for Trypanosoma cruzi infection suggests a high rate of underdiagnosis. Pregnancy is the optimal access point for identifying Chagas disease in at-risk mothers and their infants. In this review, we update progress toward implementation of pregnancy-based screening for congenital Chagas disease in nonendemic settings.

RECENT FINDINGS

International organizations have updated recommendations for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of congenital Chagas disease. Reports of successful implementation of pregnancy-based screening at some centers provide a model for optimizing diagnosis of congenital Chagas disease. Screening family members of index patients may identify additional T. cruzi-infected persons. Promising tests to augment current diagnostic modalities for maternal and congenital Chagas disease are in development. Universal or risk-based screening would be cost-effective. More healthcare providers are now aware that treatment of congenital Chagas disease is curative and are promoting efforts to make pregnancy-based screening for congenital Chagas disease a standard of care.

SUMMARY

Ongoing efforts to implement routine pregnancy-based screening for congenital Chagas disease in nonendemic regions will mutually benefit infants, their mothers and family members and can prevent potentially fatal Chagas cardiomyopathy.