[Prenatal screening for Trypanosoma cruzi and human T lymphotropic virus types 1 and 2 in pregnant Latin American women]

Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin. 2009 Mar;27(3):165-7. doi: 10.1016/j.eimc.2008.04.006. Epub 2009 Feb 11.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

Introduction: To estimate the seroprevalence of infection by Trypanosoma cruzi and human T lymphotropic virus (HTLV) in pregnant Latin American women.

Methods: Serological survey carried out in pregnant Latin American women attending the antenatal care clinic of a Spanish hospital from January 2006 to June 2007.

Results: Of the 229 women enrolled, 4 had antibodies against T. cruzi (1.75%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.68-4.4); 2 of these women came from Bolivia (13.33%; 95% CI, 3.73-37.88) and the other 2 from Paraguay (11.76%; 95% CI, 3.29-34.33). None of the women had anti-HTLV-1 antibodies (95% CI, 0-1.6), and 2 had HTLV-2 antibodies (0.87; 95% CI, 0.24-3.12).

Conclusions: A notable percentage of pregnant immigrant women from Latin American had T. cruzi infection. The seroprevalence of HTLV infection is low.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
  • Chagas Disease / diagnosis
  • Chagas Disease / epidemiology*
  • Chagas Disease / prevention & control
  • Chagas Disease / transmission
  • Emigrants and Immigrants / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • HTLV-I Antibodies / blood
  • HTLV-I Infections / diagnosis
  • HTLV-I Infections / epidemiology*
  • HTLV-I Infections / prevention & control
  • HTLV-I Infections / transmission
  • HTLV-II Antibodies / blood
  • HTLV-II Infections / diagnosis
  • HTLV-II Infections / epidemiology*
  • HTLV-II Infections / prevention & control
  • HTLV-II Infections / transmission
  • Hospitals, University / statistics & numerical data
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / immunology
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / immunology
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / prevention & control*
  • Latin America / ethnology
  • Mass Screening*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / diagnosis
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / epidemiology*
  • Prenatal Care*
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / immunology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • HTLV-I Antibodies
  • HTLV-II Antibodies