Long-term follow-up of co-infected HIV and Trypanosoma cruzi Brazilian patients
Da-Cruz, A.M.; Igreja, R.P.; Dantas, W.; Junqueira, A.C.V.; Pacheco, R.S.; Silva-Gonçalves, A.J.; Pirmez, C.
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 98(12): 728-733
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 0035-9203 PMID: 15485703 DOI: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2004.01.010Document Number: 237320
Three cases of Trypanosoma cruzi-HIV co-infected haemophiliacs are described. Parasitological (xenodiagnosis, haemoculture, PCR) and immunological (CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts, in vitro lymphoproliferative responses) studies were performed. Hybridization of isolated parasites with a specific probe confirmed the T. cruzi aetiology. We observed that despite the high parasitaemia, no clinical or parasitological evidence of T. cruzi reactivation was detected. CD4+ T cells decreased with time in 2 patients and the lymphocyte proliferative response to T. cruzi was very low in all patients. These data suggest that T. cruzi infection may have a long silent course in immunosuppressed HIV patients. Therefore, this parasitic infection should be investigated in any AIDS patient coming from areas endemic for Chagas' disease.
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