Longitudinal monitoring of cell adhesion molecules in acute Chagas disease patients and prognosis after treatment with benznidazole

Chagas disease is a public health concern endemic to Brazil, with several cases of oral transmission. Detection of patients during the acute phase is rare due to mild, nonspecific symptoms and limitations in diagnostic testing. Some molecules, such as cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), have been highlighted as potential diagnostic and prognostic markers for diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate CAMs in patients with acute Chagas disease who were treated with benznidazole. In 2019, patients from Pernambuco, in northeastern Brazil, were diagnosed with Trypanosoma cruzi infection. These patients were treated for 60 days and monitored for 2 years. sVCAM-1, sP-selectin, sL-selectin, and sE-selectin were quantified from the serum of patients using a flow cytometer. sVCAM-1 showed significant potential to differentiate between negative and infected individuals before treatment (AUC = 0.875), with a positivity rate of 75%, like the gold standard (parasitological test) and higher than PCR tests. The sP-selectin also yielded good results in monitoring thrombocytopenia and changes in coagulation after treatment. Therefore, we conclude that CAMs are potential biomarkers for Chagas disease during its primary phase.