Detection of Trypanosoma cruzi and Treatment Monitoring by PCR from Dried Blood Spot Samples in Children.

BACKGROUND: Parasitic infections by Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) are frequent in children from endemic areas. Specific therapies have been successfully used in pediatric populations to treat this disease. T. cruzi diagnosis should be optimized and become available for any clinical environment. OBJECTIVE: To study T. cruzi prevalence in children from an area of active transmission and carry out a posttreatment follow-up. To verify the feasibility of detecting DNA of T. cruzi from dried blood spot. METHODS: We analyzed presence of T. cruzi in 78 Aboriginal children (Toba community) that attended to a rural school of Chaco province, Argentina. Serum and whole blood (dried blood spot) were assessed by means of serological techniques and PCR. Positive children received Benznidazole. Diagnosis and post treatment follow-up of T. cruzi infection were performed. RESULTS: The serology assay showed infection in 34 of 78 (43.5%) children studied; PCR was positive in 5/34, displaying parasitemia. Serology remained positive in 28/28 children 120 days post-treatment, while PCR was positive in 18/28 (6/34 children were lost in follow-up). No adverse effects during the treatment were reported. CONCLUSIONS: We were able to establish T. cruzi prevalence in the studied population and also to prove the usefulness of dried blood spot for T. cruzi detection using PCR in isolated areas. This method allowed us to verify early treatment failure. Possible causes of this failure are discussed below.

Pancreatitis aguda grave e infección por el virus de la influenza A (H1N1) en un paciente pediátrico: reporte de caso / Severe acute pancreatitis and infection by influenza A (H1N1) virus in a child: case report

La pancreatitis aguda (PA) es una enfermedad inflamatoria del páncreas caracterizada por dolor abdominal y niveles elevados de enzimas pancreáticas. Representa la enfermedad pancreática más común de niños y adultos. Para el diagnóstico, se requieren 2 de los siguientes 3 criterios: dolor abdominal característico de PA, valores séricos de amilasa y/o lipasa 3 veces mayores que el límite superior normal y hallazgos característicos en las imágenes. Múltiples etiologías se han asociado: traumatismos, enfermedades metabólicas e infecciones (mixovirus, VIH, parotiditis, coxsackie, hepatitis B, A, citomegalovirus, varicela, herpes simple). Existen solo 3 casos reportados de PA asociados al virus de la influenza H1N1, solo uno en un niño y de características no complicadas.

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas, characterized by abdominal pain and high level of pancreatic enzymes. Pancreatitis is the most common disease of pancreas in children and adults. For the diagnosis we need 2 of 3 characteristics: abdominal pain characteristic of acute pancreatitis, amylase and/or lipase 3 times higher than the normal upper limit and characteristic findings in images. The etiologies are multiple: trauma, metabolic disease and infections: mixovirus, HIV, measles, coxsackie, hepatitis B, C, cytomegalovirus, varicella, herpes simplex. Three cases of PA associated with H1N1 Influenza virus were reported, only one in a child with uncomplicated features.

Pancreatitis aguda grave e infección por el virus de la influenza A (H1N1) en un paciente pediátrico: reporte de caso / Severe acute pancreatitis and infection by influenza A (H1N1) virus in a child: case report

La pancreatitis aguda (PA) es una enfermedad inflamatoria del páncreas caracterizada por dolor abdominal y niveles elevados de enzimas pancreáticas. Representa la enfermedad pancreática más común de niños y adultos. Para el diagnóstico, se requieren 2 de los siguientes 3 criterios: dolor abdominal característico de PA, valores séricos de amilasa y/o lipasa 3 veces mayores que el límite superior normal y hallazgos característicos en las imágenes. Múltiples etiologías se han asociado: traumatismos, enfermedades metabólicas e infecciones (mixovirus, VIH, parotiditis, coxsackie, hepatitis B, A, citomegalovirus, varicela, herpes simple). Existen solo 3 casos reportados de PA asociados al virus de la influenza H1N1, solo uno en un niño y de características no complicadas.(AU)

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas, characterized by abdominal pain and high level of pancreatic enzymes. Pancreatitis is the most common disease of pancreas in children and adults. For the diagnosis we need 2 of 3 characteristics: abdominal pain characteristic of acute pancreatitis, amylase and/or lipase 3 times higher than the normal upper limit and characteristic findings in images. The etiologies are multiple: trauma, metabolic disease and infections: mixovirus, HIV, measles, coxsackie, hepatitis B, C, cytomegalovirus, varicella, herpes simplex. Three cases of PA associated with H1N1 Influenza virus were reported, only one in a child with uncomplicated features.(AU)

[Severe acute pancreatitis and infection by influenza A (H1N1) virus in a child: case report]. / Pancreatitis aguda grave e infección por el virus de la influenza A (H1N1) en un paciente pediátrico: reporte de caso.

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas, characterized by abdominal pain and high level of pancreatic enzymes. Pancreatitis is the most common disease of pancreas in children and adults. For the diagnosis we need 2 of 3 characteristics: abdominal pain characteristic of acute pancreatitis, amylase and/or lipase 3 times higher than the normal upper limit and characteristic findings in images. The etiologies are multiple: trauma, metabolic disease and infections: mixovirus, HIV, measles, coxsackie, hepatitis B, C, cytomegalovirus, varicella, herpes simplex. Three cases of PA associated with H1N1 Influenza virus were reported, only one in a child with uncomplicated features.