Authors: Alicia I. Hidron, Robert H. Gilman, Juan Justiniano, Anna J. Blackstock, Carlos LaFuente, Walter Selum, Martiza Calderon, Manuela Verastegui, Lisbeth Ferrufino, Eduardo Valencia, Jeffrey A. Tornheim, Seth O’Neal, Robert Comer, Gerson Galdos-Cardenas, Caryn Bern
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000688
Abstract Summary
Chagas disease remains a major cause of heart failure in Bolivia despite urbanization. In 394 cardiac patients, 64% tested positive for T. cruzi infection, accounting for 60% of symptomatic heart failure cases. Surprisingly, obesity and hypertension were equally common regardless of infection status, highlighting how traditional Chagas risk factors now coexist with modern cardiovascular diseases in urban populations.
Why Brain? đź§
Chagas disease causes majority of heart failure cases in Bolivian hospital despite high obesity and hypertension rates, with higher mortality than uninfected patients requiring integrated care approach.
The image is AI-generated for illustrative purposes only. Courtesy of Midjourney.
