Trypanosoma cruzi persistence at oral inflammatory foci in chronic chagasic patients

▶ Trypanosoma cruzi persists in oral inflammatory foci of chronic chagasic patients. ▶ Gum samples showing different degrees of inflammation revealed T. cruzi-DNA by PCR assays. ▶ Parasite persistence in treated/untreated patients demonstrates hidden chagasic infection. ▶ Gingival biopsy is a potential diagnostic tool to confirm T. cruzi infection.