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Antiparasitic Treatment

Antiparasitic treatment is indicated for all cases of acute or reactivated Chagas disease and for chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection in children up to age 18. Congenital infections are considered acute disease. Treatment is strongly recommended for adults up to 50 years old with chronic infection who do not already have advanced Chagas cardiomyopathy. For adults older than 50 years with chronic T. cruzi infection, the decision to treat with antiparasitic drugs should be individualized, weighing the potential benefits and risks for the patient. Physicians should consider factors such as the patient’s age, clinical status, preference, and overall health.

The two drugs used to treat infection with Trypanosoma cruzi are nifurtimox and benznidazole. Benznidazole is approved by FDA for use in children 2–12 years of age but is not yet available in U.S. pharmacies. Nifurtimox is not currently FDA approved. Both drugs are currently available under investigational protocols from CDC. Side effects are fairly common with both drugs and tend to be more frequent and more severe with increasing age.

Common side effects of benznidazole treatment include:

allergic dermatitis
peripheral neuropathy
anorexia and weight loss
insomnia

The most common side effects of nifurtimox are:

anorexia and weight loss
polyneuropathy
nausea
vomiting
headache
dizziness or vertigo

Contraindications for treatment include severe hepatic and/or renal disease. As safety for infants exposed through breastfeeding has not been documented, withholding treatment while breastfeeding is also recommended. The following table outlines recommended dosage regimens by age group:

Drug	Age group	Dosage and duration
Benznidazole	< 12 years	5-7.5 mg/kg per day orally in 2 divided doses for 60 days
Benznidazole	12 years or older	5-7 mg/kg per day orally in 2 divided doses for 60 days
Nifurtimox	≤ 10 years	15-20 mg/kg per day orally in 3 or 4 divided doses for 90 days
	11-16 years	12.5-15 mg/kg per day orally in 3 or 4 divided doses for 90 days
	17 years or older	8-10 mg/kg per day orally in 3 or 4 divided doses for 90 days

Questions regarding treatment should be directed to Parasitic Diseases Public Inquiries (404-718-4745; e-mail chagas@cdc.gov).

For emergencies (for example, acute Chagas disease with severe manifestations, Chagas disease in a newborn, or Chagas disease in an immunocompromised person) outside of regular business hours, call the CDC Emergency Operations Center (770-488-7100) and ask for the person on call for Parasitic Diseases.