Patricia Paredes-Casillas, Departamento de Epidemiología, Servicio Epidemiología, Unidad Nuevo Hospital Civil de Guadalajara Dr. Juan I. Menchaca, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
Mónica C. Mercado-Uribe, Departamento de Coordinación de Especialidades, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara; Departamento de Pediatría, Servicio de Infectología Pediátrica, Unidad Hospital Civil de Guadalajara Fray Antonio Alcalde, Guadalajara; Jalisco, México
Juan C. Lona-Reyes, Departamento de Coordinación de Especialidades, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara; Servicio Infectología Pediátrica, Departamento de Pediatría, Unidad Nuevo Hospital Civil de Guadalajara Dr. Juan I. Menchaca, Guadalajara; Departamento Salud Enfermedad como Proceso Individual, Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Tonalá, Tonalá; Jalisco, México
Francisco E. Castillo-Vélez, Departamento de Epidemiología, Servicio Epidemiología, Unidad Nuevo Hospital Civil de Guadalajara Dr. Juan I. Menchaca, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
Mario Paredes-Espinosa†, Jefatura de Medicina Interna 1958-2011, Hospital Civil de Guadalajara Fray Antonio Alcalde, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
Background: In Mexico, Chagas disease represents a major public health challenge. Objective: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of a case series of Chagas disease with risk of vectorial transmission. Materials and methods: A series of cases of Chagas disease diagnosed at the Civil Hospital of Guadalajara between 1986 and 2024. The presence of the circulating parasite and negative serology confirmed acute cases, while positive serology classified chronic cases. Results: A total of 106 patients were studied, 31.1% with acute Chagas disease and 68.9% with chronic Chagas disease. In acute cases, 93.9% were symptomatic, predominantly fever lasting 2 to 3 months, arthralgia, myalgia and rash, while in chronic cases, 80.8% were asymptomatic. The median age was lower in patients with acute illness (p < 0.005) and those living in municipalities other than the Guadalajara metropolitan area (p < 0.001). Living with household triatomines was recorded in 86.9%. No cases of maternal-fetal transmission or transfusion transmission were detected. Conclusions: Understanding the clinical polymorphism of the disease, as well as its association with epidemiological risks, can lead to timely diagnosis and treatment, thereby reducing the risk of chronicity.
Keywords: Chagas disease. Trypanosoma cruzi. Triatominae.