Abstract
Autochthonous transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in the United States is rarely reported. Here, we describe five newly identified patients with autochthonously acquired infections from a small pilot study of positive blood donors in southeast Texas. Case-patients 1-4 were possibly infected near their residences, which were all in the same region ∼100 miles west of Houston. Case-patient 5 was a young male with considerable exposure from routine outdoor and camping activities associated with a youth civic organization. Only one of the five autochthonous case-patients received anti-parasitic treatment. Our findings suggest an unrecognized risk of human vector-borne transmission in southeast Texas. Education of physicians and public health officials is crucial for identifying the true disease burden and source of infection in Texas.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 325-330 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene |
Volume | 92 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 1 2015 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:Copyright © 2015 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Parasitology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases