Series of acute Chagas' disease cases attended at a tertiary-level clinic in Manaus, State of Amazonas, from 1980 to 2006

Introduction: Chagas disease is an emerging and neglected problem in the Brazilian Amazon region. Methods: This study describes a series of acute autochthonous cases of Chagas disease that were attended at the Tropical Medicine Foundation of Amazonas, Manaus, between 1980 and 2006. Results: Twenty-nine cases were recorded: 19 (65.5%) were male and 10 (34.5%) cases were female. Fifteen (51.7%) were isolated cases and 14 (48.3%) were from outbreaks. The commonest signs and symptoms were fever, fatigue, headache, myalgia, chills, pallor, dyspnea and edema of the face and lower limbs. No deaths were recorded. Conclusions: The disease occurred frequently among young people. The parasitological methods showed high sensitivity.