Anatomopathological aspects of acute Chagas myocarditis by oral transmission

Abstract

Vector transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi has declined in Latinpt_B America, which has been attributed to better epidemiological control of this form of transmission, estimated at 8 to 10 million chronic cases, in addition to reducing the number of new cases.1,2 However, there has been an increase in the incidence of acute cases, predominantly by oral transmission due to the ingestion of food contaminated with feces of triatomids, both in isolated cases and in family micro-outbreaks.3 Necropsy studies that describe myocarditis in the acute phase of Chagas' disease are scarce and the existing reports in the literature are of studies carried out in the past decades and involve vector transmission in endemic areas. Cardiac involvement in the acute phase may have varied aspects, especially in relation to myocardial lesion, from an undetectable one, to the evolution to acute heart failure with severe myocarditis and death. Cardiac involvement is present in 90% of the cases, manifesting with myocarditis and pericardial effusion.4,5 The analysis of a series of acute myocarditis cases showed a mortality of 5.6%.