TY - JOUR AU - Jesus Guimarães Ferreira, Juliana AU - Antonio de Almeida, Eros AU - Barbosa Marcon, Gláucia Elisete AU - Gonçalves Lima, Rodrigo AU - Barroso Pereira, Mariane AU - Ramos Gadelha, Fernanda AU - Mazzali, Marilda AU - Martins, Luiz Cláudio AU - Silva Wanderley, Jamiro AU - Botelho Costa, Sandra Cecília PY - 2021/11/30 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Evaluation of Trypanosoma cruzi parasitic load by real-time PCR and blood culture in long-term kidney transplant recipients JF - The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries JA - J Infect Dev Ctries VL - 15 IS - 11 SE - Case Reports DO - 10.3855/jidc.13973 UR - https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/34898511 SP - 1774-1781 AB - <p>Introduction: Acute Chagas disease involving reactivation can occur after organ transplant, and follow-up by direct parasitological or molecular methods is essential for monitoring the parasitic load in such patients. In contrast, there is a little data on the parasitic load in long-term organ recipients. In this study, we examined the parasitic load in long-term kidney transplant patients and assessed the possibility of late Chagas disease reactivation.</p><p>Methodology: Blood cultures and real-time PCR were used to assess the parasitic load in four immunosuppressed patients who underwent kidney transplants (between 1996 and 2014) and were also treated for parasites.</p><p>Results: There were no positive blood culture or real-time PCR results in Chagas disease patients who received kidney transplants. The real-time PCR presented detection limit of 0.1 parasite equivalent/mL. The time interval between the transplant and sample collection varied from one to 19 years.</p><p>Conclusions: No parasites were detected in the evaluated patients. The use of benznidazole and immunosuppressive therapy may have contributed to control the <em>T. cruzi </em>infection. In transplanted patients with Chagas disease, the use of methods such real-time PCR and blood culture can monitor the parasitic load and prevent disease reactivation.</p> ER -