Estudio clínico y epidemiológico en donantes de sangre seropositivos por trypanosoma cruzi / Clinical and epidemiological study of blood donors seropositive for Chagas disease

RESUMO

One hundred eleven seropositive donors, detected between 1994 and 1996, were studied. Serological reactions were confirmed with ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence reactions. Those confirmed as positive were subjected to a clinical-epidemiological questionnaire, physical examination, EKG and barium enema or swallow according to symptoms. Results: Seventy individuals were confirmed as positive for Chagas disease. Most of them lived at least once in an endemic zone for Chagas positive for Chagas disease. Most of them lived at least once in an endemic zone for Chagas disease or in a sun-dried clay brick house. Forty percent of individuals knew reduviid bugs and 14 pecent had been bitten by these insects. Twenty six percent of these subjects had an abnormal EKG (6 percent with bradicardia). No digestive diseases attributable to Chagas disease were detected. Conclusions: The high prevalence of problems attributable to Chagas disease among seropositive blood donors underscores the need of an epidermiological follow up of these individuals