PMID: 19947451Dec 2, 2009Paper

Congenital Chagas disease in Geneva: diagnostic and clinical aspects

Revue médicale suisse
B Martinez de TejadaGroupe Chagas Congénital Genéve

Abstract

Chagas disease, a parasitic infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, recently emerged in Europe and in Switzerland. Mother-to-child infection represents a major mode of transmission in non endemic areas. In 2008, 305 Latin American pregnant women consulting at the Geneva University Hospitals were screened by serology. Overall prevalence was 2% and 8.8% in Bolivian women. All infected women were in the indeterminate form of the chronic phase. Two newborns were congenitally infected. Considering the potential for vertical transmission and the risk of long-term complications, screening programs for persons at risk need to be implemented.

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