Risk of COVID-19 in Chagas Disease Patients: What Happen with Cardiac Affectations?

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The SARS-Cov-2 virus appeared as a pandemic at the end of 2019. Since then, the literature on the effects of this disease has been increasing. Chagas disease is more than 110 years old since its discovery, and the implications of these patients when co-infected with SARS-Cov-2 have not been reported. In this review, we summarize the studies to date on the cardiac affectations generated by both diseases in humans, describing their possible interrelation, the damage that coinfection could generate, the analysis of the treatment for both diseases and recommendations to avoid SARS-Cov-2 infection in patients with Chagas disease. This is the first comprehensive review of cardiac disorders that can manifest in chagasic patients as a result of coinfection. ABSTRACT: Background: Chagas disease is considered a neglected tropical disease. The acute phase of Chagas disease is characterized by several symptoms: fever, fatigue, body aches, headache and cardiopathy’s. Chronic phase could be asymptomatic or symptomatic with cardiac compromise. Since the emergence of the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the cardiovascular involvement has been identified as a complication commonly reported in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Due to the lack of knowledge of the cardiac affectations that this virus could cause in patients with Chagas disease, the aim of this review is to describe the possible cardiac affectations, as well as the treatment and recommendations that patients with both infections should carry out. Methods: The authors revised the recent and relevant literature concerning the topic and discussed advances and limitations of studies on COVID-19 and their impact in Chagas disease patients, principally with cardiac affectations. Results: There currently exists little information about the consequences that Chagas disease patients can suffer when they are infected with COVID-19. Conclusions: This review highlights the emerging challenges of access to medical care and future research needs in order to understand the implications that co-infections (SARS-CoV-2 or other viruses) can generate in Chagas disease-infected people.