[Human infection by Trypanosoma cruzi in Chile: epidemiology estimates and costs of care and treatment of the chagasic patient].

According to the gathered information from the 1992 Chile census and an extensive epidemiological field study of Chagas' disease in rural-periurban sections of the seven most northern regions where this malady is endemic, the following epidemiological outline arises: Total population in the country 13,348,401. Population in endemic regions 8,824,205 (urban 8,050,700, rural 773,505). Number of infected 142,000 (16.7%). Total number of cardiopathies 26,554 (18.7%). In considering the regime of fees for health attentions of the National Health Funds--including hospitalization, laboratory tests and surgical interventions--in its minimal prices plus the value of medicaments, it is possible to produce some estimates on the cost of attention and treatment, in U.S. dollars, of the chagasic patient. Average annual cost of a patient with chronic chagasic cardiopathy U.S. $439.29 to U.S. $584.25 If these values are multiplied by 26,554 give rise to a figure ranging from U.S. $11,644,906 to U.S. $15,514,474.