Immunological profile of acute Chagas disease patients infected via oral transmission and treated with Benznidazole: a two-year follow-up of immune responses
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The state of Pernambuco, Brazil, reported its biggest outbreak of Acute Chagas disease (ACD) caused by oral transmission, in 2019. During the acute phase, timely access to treatment must be quick and performed in all cases, regardless of the transmission route, as approximately 70-80% of cases are cured. Monitoring the immunological profile after Benznidazole (BZ) treatment in ACD patients may help identify tools to support disease progression assessment. This study aimed to evaluate the immune response, especially cytokines and antibodies levels, in patients with ACD and treated with BZ. A total of 28 laboratory-confirmed patients from the outbreak were included. Th1 and Th2 cytokines were quantified in serum samples using flow cytometry, and antibody levels were assessed by indirect immunofluorescence. Our findings indicate that BZ reduced the inflammatory response, as evidenced by decreased levels of Th1-type cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF, IL-2 and IL-6). Anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) also showed a decline following treatment. Only IgM antibody titers were reduced, with no consistent pattern observed for IgG. These results support the use of BZ in acute phase and suggest the potential use of cytokines as auxiliary biomarkers for therapeutic monitoring.
Source: Immunobiology
Authors: Luciane de Freitas Firmino, Victor Vaitkevicius-Antão, Amanda Vasconcelos Nascimento, Cíntia Nascimento Costa-Oliveira, Michelle da Silva Barros, Diego José Lira Torres, Claudeir Dias Silva-Junior, Byannca de Carvalho Torreão, Maria Beatriz Araújo Silva, Carolina de Araújo de Medeiros, Tayne Fernanda Lemos da Silva, Maria Aucineide Basílio Albuquerque, Milena Maria de Morais Silva, Filipe Prohaska Batista, Demetrius Montenegro, Wilson de Oliveira-Júnior, Cristina Carrazzone, Silvia Marinho Martins, Ana Karine Araújo Soares, Virginia Maria Barros de Lorena
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,840
Awards: G1424066481, G5275649822
OpenAlex ID: W7130319378