[Postpartum treatment without interrupting breastfeeding in a patient with Chagas disease]

Chagas disease is a problem of global public health. It is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, which is acquired through exposure to infected triatomine feces, blood transfusion, organ transplantation, orally, by laboratory accidents and congenitally (mother-child); the latter is a public health problem in endemic countries and is the most common form in non-endemic countries. In Mexico, there are few studies on congenital transmission of Chagas disease. The majority of pregnant women with Chagas disease are chronic and asymptomatic, and there is a risk of products with low birth weight and abortions, yet most infants are asymptomatic and treatment in pregnancy is contraindicated. Here, we report a case of a 24-year-old who was diagnosed with Chagas disease by donating blood and confirmed by the State Laboratory of Public Health. Before starting treatment, 13 weeks pregnancy was detected and followed up until the birth; mother was seropositive for Chagas disease and child was negative by parasitological studies. Breastfeeding was initiated at birth and one month, after consulting with experts, treating the mother began with benznidazole for 45 days; in general, the treatment was well tolerated, but the patient remained seropositive.