Gastro‐intestinal Chagas disease in migrants to Spain: prevalence and methods for early diagnosis

Abstract

Each year in Spain, the number of Latin American immigrants who present with chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection increases. Although gastro‐intestinal abnormalities are not as common as cardiomyopathy in such infection, they can still lead to an impaired quality of life. In a recent study based in Madrid, the frequencies of gastro‐intestinal involvement in a cohort of Latin American immigrants infected with T. cruzi, and the role of early diagnostic techniques in the detection of such involvement, were explored. Between January 2003 and April 2009, all Latin Americans who attended the Tropical Medicine Unit of the Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal were tested for T. cruzi infection, in IFAT and ELISA. Each subject found both IFAT‐ and ELISA‐positive was considered to be infected (chronically) and checked for symptoms indicative of Chagas disease. Each infected subject giving informed consent was investigated further, using an electrocardiogram, an echocardiogram and oesophageal manometry. Between January 2003 and June 2008, every infected subject who consented was also explored using a barium swallow and barium enema. After July 2008, however, only subjects showing oesophageal and/or colonic symptoms were investigated in this manner.

Of the 248 patients found infected with T. cruzi, 118 underwent oesophageal manometry, 75 a barium enema and 48 a barium swallow. Thirteen (11%) showed evidence of oesophageal involvement (incomplete relaxation of the lower oesophageal sphincter; three cases) or bowel involvement (five cases of dolichosigma, three of dolichocolon and two of megacolon). Only six of these 13 had any gastro‐intestinal symptoms (all six were suffering from constipation). None of the barium swallows revealed any pathology. It appears that oesophageal manometry can reveal mild abnormalities not detected by barium swallow, even in asymptomatic patients, while barium enemas are useful in the detection of colonic involvement.

The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by the Red de Investigación de Centros de Enfermedades Tropicales (RD06/0021/0020). They thank Dr C. Cañavate and M. Flores, both of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, for performing the T. cruzi serology.