FOLLOW-UP OF 18 PATIENTS WITH HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS INFECTION AND CHRONIC CHAGAS-DISEASE, WITH REACTIVATION OF CHAGAS-DISEASE CAUSING CARDIAC DISEASE IN 3 PATIENTS

A series of 18 patients with chronic Chagas' disease and human immunod eficiency virus infection were followed up for 2 to 66 months (median, 15.5 months). Artificial xenodiagnosis was positive for 81.3% and nat ural xenodiagnosis was positive for 81.8% of patients for whom they we re performed; 81.8% of 11 patients had medium-or high-level parasitemi a. Reactivation of Chagas' disease-direct microscopic examination of b lood revealing parasites and, clinically, patients presenting with car diac disease-occurred in three patients (16.7%). Specific antitrypanos omal treatment with benznidazole was effective in reducing the level o f parasitemia and improving the clinical condition in three of the fou r patients treated.