Case report: Evidence of Autochthonous chagas disease in Southeastern Texas

Melissa N. Garcia; David Aguilar; Rodion Gorchakov; Susan N. Rossmann; Susan P. Montgomery; Hilda Rivera; Laila Woc-Colburn; Peter J. Hotez; Kristy O. Murray

doi:10.4269/ajtmh.14-0238

Case report: Evidence of Autochthonous chagas disease in Southeastern Texas

Melissa N. Garcia, David Aguilar, Rodion Gorchakov, Susan N. Rossmann, Susan P. Montgomery, Hilda Rivera, Laila Woc-Colburn, Peter J. Hotez, Kristy O. Murray

Internal Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

92 Scopus citations

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
Pages (from-to)	325-330
Number of pages	6
Journal	American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume	92
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.14-0238
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

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.4269/ajtmh.14-0238

Cite this

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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.",

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AU - Gorchakov, Rodion

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AU - Montgomery, Susan P.

AU - Rivera, Hilda

AU - Woc-Colburn, Laila

AU - Hotez, Peter J.

AU - Murray, Kristy O.

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Case report: Evidence of Autochthonous chagas disease in Southeastern Texas

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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