Journal of Neuroinfectious Diseases
Open Access

Case Report

Stroke in Chagas Disease Patients in Ecudaor

Tomas Alarcon Guzman^1*, Gabriela Acuna Ch¹, and Tomas Alarcon Aviles²

¹Department of Neurology, Social Security Hospital (IESS), School of Medicine, University of Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Ecuador

²Hospital Luis Vernaza, Department of Neurology, Guayaquil, Ecuador

*Corresponding Author:

Tomas Alarcon Guzman
Department of Neurology, Social Security Hospital (IESS)
School of Medicine, University of Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Ecuador
E-mail: tomas1@telconet.net

Received Date: 29 April 2011; Revised Date: 2 August 2011; Accepted Date: 6 August 2011

Chagas disease is caused by the flagellated par-asite Trypanosoma cruzi. In Ecuador, this disease has been recognized since 1936, with a prevalence of 1.38% in the general population. Between 15 and 30% of infected persons can develop chronic disease with predominance of chronic cardiac and digestive symptoms. Among its major neuro-logical complications is stroke. Here, we report 3 cases of patients between 53 and 63 years with embolic stroke. In all cases two serological tests for Chagas disease were positive. Comprehensive studies were performed utilizing transtho-racic and transesophageal echocardiography, CT and MRI of the brain and followed up for three years. Case 1 had a left temporal-parietal stroke, Case 2 had an infarct of right middle cerebral artery with hemorrhagic transformation, and Case 3 had left striatal infarction adjacent to the old and new stroke. Chronic of Chagas disease should be included in the differential diagnosis of embolic stroke in individuals from Chagas-endemic areas.

Keywords