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Would selenium supplementation aid in therapy for Chagas disease?
Linda A Jelicks1, Andréa P de Souza, Tania C Araújo-Jorge
1Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. linda.jelicks@einstein.yu.edu
Trends in Parasitology
|January 8, 2011
Summary
Selenium deficiency may worsen Chagas disease. Supplementation with selenium (Se) is proposed as an adjunctive therapy to potentially improve outcomes for patients with chronic Chagas disease, a parasitic infection.
Area of Science:
- Tropical medicine
- Parasitology
- Nutritional science
Background:
- Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is a neglected tropical disease.
- It leads to chronic cardiomyopathy and gastrointestinal (GI) disorders in approximately 30-40% of infected individuals.
- Selenium (Se) deficiency is implicated as a potential factor in Chagas disease pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of selenium deficiency in Chagas disease.
- To propose selenium supplementation as an adjuvant therapy for chronic Chagas disease.
Main Methods:
- This article presents an opinion based on existing research findings.
- It reviews the literature on Chagas disease and selenium's role in its progression.
Main Results:
- Selenium deficiency may contribute to the inflammatory destruction seen in Chagas disease.
- Evidence suggests a link between low selenium levels and increased disease severity.
Conclusions:
- Selenium supplementation could be a beneficial adjuvant therapy for chronic Chagas disease.
- Further clinical studies are warranted to confirm the efficacy of Se supplementation in managing Chagas disease complications.
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