Jose C Paz

Chagas disease is a common infection in Argentina, especially in urban areas, but most people are unaware they have it. Diagnosing chronic Chagas disease usually requires multiple blood tests done at specialized labs, which can delay diagnosis and treatment. Rapid diagnostic tests RDTs could improve timely detection at local health centers, but they need evaluation in real-world settings to confirm their accuracy and usefulness. This research will observe how well two commercially available RDTs perform when used directly with blood samples at public health sites in Argentina. The study will compare these tests to standard laboratory methods and evaluate different blood sample types. It will also assess the ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and how well these tests help increase diagnosis access in different healthcare settings. Participants will include people over 10 months old such as pregnant women, blood donors, transplant recipients, and those suspected of chronic infection. Blood samples will be collected for rapid tests and standard lab tests, with clinical and epidemiological data recorded. The study will measure test accuracy, agreement between tests, usability, and cost factors. The research will run for 24 months and aims to improve diagnostic strategies for chronic Chagas disease in Argentina.