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Volume 23, Number 3—March 2017
Dispatch

Likely Autochthonous Transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi to Humans, South Central Texas, USA

Sarah M. Gunter, Kristy O. Murray, Rodion Gorchakov, Rachel Beddard, Susan N. Rossmann, Susan P. Montgomery, Hilda Rivera, Eric L. Brown, David Aguilar, Lawrence E. Widman, and Melissa N. GarciaComments to Author 
Author affiliations: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA (S.M. Gunter, K.O. Murray, R. Gorchakov, D. Aguilar, M.N. Garcia); University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston (S.M. Gunter, E.L. Brown); South Texas Tissue and Blood Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA (R. Beddard); Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, Houston (S.N. Rossmann); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (S.P. Montgomery, H. Rivera); Cardiac Electrophysiology Consultants of South Texas, PA, San Antonio (L.E. Widman)

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Table 1

Characteristics for 14 blood donors infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, south central Texas*

Donor no./age, y/sex
 Likely autochthonous transmission†
 Blood bank serologic test results‡
Study serologic test results§
 ECG results¶
 Concurent condition
PRISM or ORTHO
 RIPA or ESA
 Hemagen
 Stat-Pak
 DPP
 EIA
 TESA
1/83/M Yes + + + + + + + Primary AV block, atypical incomplete right BBB, lateral asymmetric T inversion None
2/61/F Yes + + + + + + + Inferolateral asymmetric T inversion Hypertension
3/71/M Yes + + + + + + + LAD, nonspecific ST/T wave abnormality Kidney failure, hypertension
5/19/M Yes + + + + + + + Normal None
6/60/M Yes + + + + + + + Primary AV block Diabetes, hypertension
7/56/F Yes + + + + + – + Minimum voltage criteria for LVH None
8/52/M Yes + + + + + + + LAD Parkinson’s disease
9/25/F Yes + + + + + + + Normal None
10/51/F Yes + + + + + Ind + Normal Heart attack
11/52/F Yes + + + + + + + Normal None
12/45/M No + + + + + + + Normal Borderline diabetes
13/35/F No + + + + + + + Normal None
14/34/F No + + Ind + + + + Nonspecific T wave change None

*Demographic information, likely autochthonous transmission, and concurrent conditions were determined through case-patient interview. ECG, electrocardiogam; Ind, indeterminate; +, positive; –, negative. Test results were based on manufacturers’ protocols for serologic testing.
†Donors listed as showing autochthonous transmission (donors 12–14) reported living in Mexico or Chile.
‡ESA, Chagas Test (Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, IL, USA); ORTHO, T. cruzi ELISA (Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Inc., Raritan, NJ, USA); PRISM, Chemiluminescent Immunoassay (Abbott Laboratories); RIPA, radioimmune precipitation assay (Quest Diagnostic Laboratories, Madison, NJ, USA).
§DPP, dual path platform immunochromatographic confirmation assay (Chembio, Medford, NY, USA); EIA, Chagatest recombinant v3.0 enzyme inmmunoassay (Wiener, Rosario, Argentina); Hemagen; Chagas EIA Kit (Hemagen Diagnostics, Inc., Columbia, MD, USA); Stat-Pak, Chagas immunochromatographic sssay (Chembio, Medford, NY, USA); TESA, trypomastigote excreted or secreted antigen immunoblot (bioMérieux, Marcy l’Etoile, France). Hemagen, Stat-Pak, and DPP were performed at Baylor College of Medicine, (Houston, TX, USA), and EIA and TESA were performed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta, GA, USA).
¶Results were determined from readout of a resting 12-lead ECG and interpreted by a board-certified cardiologist. AV, atrioventricular; LAD, left axis deviation; LVH, left ventricular hypertrophy; RBBB, right bundle branch block.

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Page created: February 17, 2017
Page updated: February 17, 2017
Page reviewed: February 17, 2017
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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