Utility of an immunochromatographic test for Chagas disease screening in primary healthcare

Introduction: Chagas disease is a common condition among Latin American immigrants living in Spain. Material and methods: An immunochromatographic test was used for Chagas disease screening in 148 patients from Latin America and the results were compared with those of 2 ELISA techniques. Results: The test had a sensitivity of 92.5%, a specificity of 96.8%, and a coefficient of agreement with the 2 ELISA techniques of 0.9. Conclusions: The specificity of the test assayed suffices for Chagas disease screening, but the sensitivity needs to be improved before it can be used for this purpose. (C) 2008 Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.