Last update Sept. 21, 2023

Chagas Disease

Compatible

Safe product and/or breastfeeding is the best option.

Well-conducted studies (Medina-Lopes 1988, Bittencourt 1988, Amato Neto 1992) contradict other older ones that used dubious methodology (Mazza 1936) on the transmission by breast milk. The anecdotal and unproven cases of transmission that occurred during acute phase or while nipples were bleeding suggest it would better and less up-setting to perform a serological screening to the children at the end of lactation than avoiding breastfeeding contraindicarla in these cases.(Paricio Talayero 2009)

At the time of last review, transmission of Chagas disease through breastfeeding has not been documented with evidence.

Given the undeniable global benefits of breastfeeding, breastfeeding should be recommended for chagasic mothers, as recommended by international organizations and specialized authors. (CLAP-PAHO-WHO, 2007, González-Tomé 2013). Chagas disease, either affecting the mother or infant, is compatible with breastfeeding.

The mother should be treated whether acute or recent infection. Either the newborn or infant should be treated if it is congenitally infected.

The treatments used (Benznidazol, Nifurtimox) are compatible with breastfeeding (Morrison 2022), both have been used without problems even in the neonatal period (García-Bournissen 2015, Vela-Bahena 2015), and directly administered to the infant or newborn. (Altcheh 2011 , Chippaux 2013)


See below the information of these related products:

  • Benznidazole (Safe product and/or breastfeeding is the best option.)
  • Nifurtimox (Safe product and/or breastfeeding is the best option.)

Suggestions made at e-lactancia are done by APILAM team of health professionals, and are based on updated scientific publications. It is not intended to replace the relationship you have with your doctor but to compound it. The pharmaceutical industry contraindicates breastfeeding, mistakenly and without scientific reasons, in most of the drug data sheets.

Jose Maria Paricio, Founder & President of APILAM/e-Lactancia

Your contribution is essential for this service to continue to exist. We need the generosity of people like you who believe in the benefits of breastfeeding.

Thank you for helping to protect and promote breastfeeding.

José María Paricio, founder of e-lactancia.
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Other names

Chagas Disease is also known as


Groups

Chagas Disease belongs to these groups or families:

References

  1. Morrison C. Treatment of Chagas Disease in Breastfeeding Dyads. Am Fam Physician. 2022 Jul;106(1):11C-11D. Abstract Full text (link to original source)
  2. Moroni S, Marson ME, Moscatelli G, Mastrantonio G, Bisio M, Gonzalez N, Ballering G, Altcheh J, García-Bournissen F. Negligible exposure to nifurtimox through breast milk during maternal treatment for Chagas Disease. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019 Aug 15;13(8):e0007647. Abstract Full text (link to original source)
  3. Padró JM, Pellegrino Vidal RB, Echevarria RN, Califano AN, Reta MR. Development of an ionic-liquid-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method for the determination of antichagasic drugs in human breast milk: Optimization by central composite design. J Sep Sci. 2015 Abstract
  4. García-Bournissen F, Moroni S, Marson ME, Moscatelli G, Mastrantonio G, Bisio M, Cornou L, Ballering G, Altcheh J. Limited infant exposure to benznidazole through breast milk during maternal treatment for Chagas disease. Arch Dis Child. 2015 Abstract Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  5. Vela-Bahena LE, Vergara R, Vite L, Ramos C. Tratamiento posparto en una paciente con enfermedad de Chagas, sin interrupción de la lactancia. [Postpartum treatment without interrupting breastfeeding in a patient with Chagas disease]. Ginecol Obstet Mex. 2015 Abstract Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  6. Vela-Bahena LE, Vergara R, Vite L, Ramos C. [Postpartum treatment without interrupting breastfeeding in a patient with Chagas disease]. Ginecol Obstet Mex. 2015 Abstract
  7. Marson ME, Padró JM, Reta MR, Altcheh J, García-Bournissen F, Mastrantonio G. A simple and efficient HPLC method for benznidazole dosage in human breast milk. Ther Drug Monit. 2013 Abstract
  8. Chippaux JP, Salas-Clavijo AN, Postigo JR, Schneider D, Santalla JA, Brutus L. Evaluation of compliance to congenital Chagas disease treatment: results of a randomised trial in Bolivia. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2013 Abstract Full text (in our servers)
  9. González-Tomé MI, Rivera Cuello M, Camaño Gutierrez I, Norman F, Flores-Chávez MD, Rodríguez-Gómez L, Fumadó V, García-López Hortelano M, López-Vélez R, González-Granado LI, García-Burguillo A, Santos Sebastian Mdel M, Avila Arzanegui O; Sociedad Española de Infectología Pediátrica; Sociedad de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica; Sociedad Española de Ginecología y Obstetricia. [Recommendations for the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of the pregnant woman and child with Chagas disease. Sociedad Española de Infectología Pediátrica. Sociedad de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. Sociedad Española de Ginecología y Obstetricia]. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin. 2013 Abstract Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  10. Altcheh J, Moscatelli G, Moroni S, Garcia-Bournissen F, Freilij H. Adverse events after the use of benznidazole in infants and children with Chagas disease. Pediatrics. 2011 Abstract
  11. Barennes H, Choonara I. Breast feeding and drug therapy in neglected diseases. Arch Dis Child. 2010 Abstract
  12. Garcia-Bournissen F, Altcheh J, Panchaud A, Ito S. Is use of nifurtimox for the treatment of Chagas disease compatible with breast feeding? A population pharmacokinetics analysis. Arch Dis Child. 2010 Abstract
  13. José María Paricio Talayero, Marta Sánchez Palomares, Lourdes Escrivà Cholbi y José Mut Buigues. Enfermedad de Chagas y transmisión vertical. JANO. Dic, nº1.755; 21-24 2009 Full text (in our servers)
  14. CLAP, Montevideo, Uruguay. OPS / OMS Informe de la Consulta Técnica sobre Información, Educación y Comunicación (IEC) en Enfermedad de Chagas Congénita. Informe técnico 2007 Full text (in our servers)
  15. Rassi A, Amato Neto V, Rassi GG, Amato VS, Rassi Júnior A, Luquetti AO, Rassi SG. [A retrospective search for maternal transmission of Chagas infection from patients in the chronic phase]. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2004 Abstract Full text (in our servers)
  16. Santos Ferreira C, Amato Neto V, Gakiya E, Bezerra RC, Alarcón RS. Microwave treatment of human milk to prevent transmission of Chagas disease. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 2003 Abstract Full text (in our servers)
  17. Ferreira CS, Martinho PC, Amato Neto V, Cruz RR. Pasteurization of human milk to prevent transmission of Chagas disease. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 2001 Abstract Full text (in our servers)
  18. Jansen AM, Madeira FB, Deane MP. Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the opossum Didelphis marsupialis: absence of neonatal transmission and protection by maternal antibodies in experimental infections. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1994 Abstract
  19. Bittencourt AL. Possible risk factors for vertical transmission of Chagas' disease. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 1992 Abstract Full text (in our servers)
  20. Jörg ME. [The transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi via human milk]. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 1992 Abstract Full text (in our servers)
  21. Amato Neto V, Matsubara L, Campos R, Moreira AA, Pinto PL, Faccioli R, Zugaib M. [Trypanosoma cruzi in the milk of women with chronic Chagas disease]. Rev Hosp Clin Fac Med Sao Paulo. 1992 Abstract
  22. Rivera MT, Thibaut G, Carlier Y. Lactation reduces mortality but not parasitaemia during the acute phase of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1991 Abstract
  23. Shikanai-Yasuda MA, Lopes MH, Tolezano JE, Umezawa E, Amato Neto V, Barreto AC, Higaki Y, Moreira AA, Funayama G, Barone AA, et al. [Acute Chagas' disease: transmission routes, clinical aspects and response to specific therapy in diagnosed cases in an urban center]. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 1990 Abstract Full text (in our servers)
  24. Bittencourt AL, Sadigursky M, Da Silva AA, Menezes CA, Marianetti MM, Guerra SC, Sherlock I. Evaluation of Chagas' disease transmission through breast-feeding. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1988 Abstract Full text (in our servers)
  25. Medina-Lopes M das D. [Transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in a case, during lactation, in a non-endemic area]. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 1988 Abstract
  26. Miles MA. Trypanosoma cruzi--milk transmission of infection and immunity from mother to young. Parasitology. 1972 Abstract
  27. Mazza S, Montana A, Benitez C, Janzi E. Transmisión del Schizotripanum cruzi al niño por leche de madre con Enfermedad de Chagas. Mis Est Patol Reg Argentina (Publicaciones MEPRA) 1936; 28: 41-46. 1936

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