Recommendations for management of Chagas disease in organ and hematopoietic tissue transplantation programs in nonendemic areas

Abstract

The substantial immigration into Spain from endemic areas of Chagas disease such as Latin America has increased the number of potential donors of organs and tissues. In addition, an increasing number of patients with advanced Chagas heart disease may eventually be eligible to receive a heart transplant, a universally accepted therapeutic strategy for the advanced stages of this disease. Therefore, it is necessary to establish protocols for disease management. This document is intended to establish the guidelines to be followed when a potential donor or a tissue or organ recipient is potentially affected by Chagas disease and summarizes the action criteria against the possibility of Chagas disease transmission through the donation of organs, tissues, or hematopoietic stem cells and aims to help professionals working in this field. A single registry of transplants in Trypanosoma cruzi infected donors and/or recipients will provide and disseminate experience in this area, which has shown a low recorded incidence to date.