Chagas Disease Implementation of Screening to Benefit Mother and Infant

center dot Chagas disease is underappreciated as a health concern in women in their childbearing years, resulting in potentially fatal cardiac morbidity owing to Trypanosoma cruzi infection in women at risk and their children. center dot Pregnancy-based serologic screening for T cruzi provides the optimal mechanism to identify Chagas disease in at-risk family units because the results will be available at delivery when both mother and infant are in contact with the health care system. center dot Treatment of Chagas disease within the first year of life is well tolerated, has a cure rate exceeding 90%, and is highly effective in preventing long-term T cruzi-associated cardiac complications. center dot Targeted screening, including the cost of treatment with benznidazole, would be costeffective and would result in $1314 savings per birth and $670 million in lifetime savings

Automated summary

Chagas disease is often overlooked as a health concern in women of childbearing age, but pregnancy-based serologic screening for T cruzi can effectively identify the disease in at-risk families. Early treatment within the first year of life has a high success rate in preventing long-term complications associated with T cruzi infection. Targeted screening and treatment would be cost-effective, leading to significant savings per birth and in the long term.