INVESTIGADORES
GRIPPO vanina
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Etiologic Treatment of Chronic Chagas disease in an endemic region of Argentina: Clinical Trial VIVIR SIN CHAGAS (Partial Results)
Autor/es:
GABRIELA LEVITUS; SCHIJMAN A; BURGOS J; GRIPPO VANINA; LAFON S; LEVIN MJ
Reunión:
Congreso; XXXVII Reunion Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones en Bioquimica y Biologia Molecular; 2001
Resumen:
The clinical trial “ Vivir sin Chagas “ was implemented to supply trypanocidal treatment (tmt) to chronic Chagas disease patients (CChD pts) inhabitants at Añatuya, Santiago del Estero. AIMS: a) To treat with benznidazole asymptomatic individuals living in desinsectized houses b) To follow up their outcome by clinical, parasitologic and serological diagnostic tools. METHODS: Benznidazole (5mg/kg/day)  was supplied to 150 CChD pts (18-45 years old) for 60 days with written consent. Clinical studies, ELISA assays, and PCR for T. cruzi were performed before tmt (T0), at the end (T1), three months after tmt (T2), six months after tmt (T3), and each 6 mths thereafter. RESULTS: Serological data of 60 pts followed up to T3 were obtained. In all cases, antibody levels were similar in T0 than in T1, but 25% of them decreased in T2 or T3. Blood based PCR was positive in 25% of 67 tested cases at T0. 70% of these gave negative PCR results at T1 and the rest thereafter suggesting parasitologic cure, without decrease in antibody levels. This project has financial  support from Bunge & Born Foundation.