TY - JOUR AU - Norman, Francesca AU - López-Vélez, Rogelio T1 - Chagas Disease and Breast-feeding T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2013 VL - 19 IS - 10 SP - 1561 SN - 1080-6059 AB - Chagas disease (infection by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi) is a major parasitic disease of the Americas and one of the main neglected tropical diseases. Although various routes of transmission are recognized, the risk for transmission of the infection through breast-feeding has not clearly been established. We reviewed the literature on transmission of T. cruzi through breast-feeding to provide breast-feeding mothers with Chagas disease with medical guidance. Although data from animal studies and human studies are scarce, we do not recommend that mothers with Chagas disease discontinue breast-feeding, unless they are experiencing the acute phase of the disease, reactivated disease resulting from immunosuppression, or bleeding nipples. In these cases, thermal treatment of milk before feeding the infant may be considered. KW - Chagas disease KW - Trypanosoma cruzi KW - breastfeeding KW - neglected tropical disease KW - trypomastigotes KW - parasites KW - transmission KW - congenital transmission KW - breast-feeding KW - parasitic diseases DO - 10.3201/eid1910.130203 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/19/10/13-0203_article ER - End of Reference