EYE CHANGES IN CHAGAS-DISEASE (AMERICAN T RYPANOSOMIASIS) - STUDIES IN PARAGUAY 1996-1997

Background: Last year's pilot study, which examined for the first time a representative group of patients with Chagas disease, showed that i n this parasitosis changes in the ocular fundus can be expected in the form of defects of the retinal pigment epithelium. Examination of mor e patients in this study should give further information about the cha racter and extent of the a Iterations found. Materials and methods: Af ter serological confirmation of the disease, we performed an ophthalmo logical examination of the anterior and posterior segments. Results: I n 21 out of 23 patients the fundus was unobtrusive; 1 patient showed f ibrae medullares and 1 patient clear pigment dispersion on the posteri or pole. Together with the pilot study, a total of 102 chagasic patien ts were examined. In 8 patients (7.8%) defects of the retinal pigment epithelium were found, which did not cause any significant loss of vis ion. Conclusions: We presume that the described defects are a matter o f rare and harmless postinflammatory or immunological changes in the A merican type of trypanosomiasis.