TABLE 4.
Indications for Treatment of Chagas Disease*
| Indication | Comment |
|---|---|
| Acute disease | Indicated for all cases; high cure rate |
| Congenital disease in infants | Indicated for all cases; high cure rate |
| Children younger than 18 y | Recommended for all cases; efficacy, ~60% |
| Women in the childbearing years | Recommended for the patient and to prevent congenital transmission |
| Pregnant women | Treatment indicated after delivery and breastfeeding cessation |
| Reactivation from immunosuppression | Recommended; decreases parasitemia and prolongs survival |
| All persons younger than 50–55 y | Efficacy not known; may prevent the development of cardiomyopathy |
| Adults with cardiomyopathy | Reduces parasite molecular detection; most experts recommend treatment for patients with early, but not for those with severe, cardiomyopathy |