Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (Oct 2013)

Outbreak of acute Chagas disease associated with oral transmission in the Rio Negro region, Brazilian Amazon

  • Rita de Cássia de Souza-Lima,
  • Maria das Graças Vale Barbosa,
  • José Rodrigues Coura,
  • Ana Ruth Lima Arcanjo,
  • Adelaide da Silva Nascimento,
  • João Marcos Bemfica Barbosa Ferreira,
  • Laylah Kelre Magalhães,
  • Bernardino Cláudio de Albuquerque,
  • Guilherme Alfredo Novelino Araújo,
  • Jorge Augusto de Oliveira Guerra

Journal volume & issue
no. ahead
pp. 00 – 00

Abstract

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Introduction Chagas disease is considered as emerging in the Brazilian Amazon, usually occurring in acute outbreaks. Methods We describe 17 cases of acute Chagas disease in Rio Negro, Amazonas. Results There were 15 males (average age, 31.3 years), all positive for Trypanosoma cruzi in fresh blood smear examination, and 14 positive by xenodiagnosis and PCR. The top clinical manifestations were fever, asthenia, abdominal pain, and palpitations. Electrocardiograms featured low-voltage QRS, anterosuperior divisional block, and right bundle branch block associated with anterosuperior divisional block. Conclusions All patients had consumed açaí products from Monte Alegre in the rural area around Santa Izabel do Rio Negro, Brazil.

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