AUTHOR=Silgado Aroa , Bosch-Nicolau Pau , Sánchez-Montalvá Adrián , Cervià Ariadna , Gomez-i-Prat Jordi , Bagaria Guillermo , Rodriguez Cristina , Goterris Lidia , Serre-Delcor Núria , Oliveira-Souto Inés , Salvador Fernando , Molina Israel , Sulleiro Elena 

TITLE=Opportunistic Community Screening of Chronic Chagas Disease Using a Rapid Diagnosis Test in Pharmacies in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain): Study Protocol and Pilot Phase Results

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=67

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2022.1605386

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2022.1605386

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objectives:</bold> This study aimed to report the protocol and results from the pilot phase of an opportunistic CP-based CD screening program in Barcelona, Spain.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Three strategies according to recruitment approach were designed: passive, active and active-community. The study process consisted of signing the informed consent form, recording the patient’s data in a web-based database system, and performing the rapid test and blood collection on dry paper.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Nineteen pharmacies participated and 64 patients were included during the pilot phase of the study. The rapid diagnostic test (RDT) was positive in 2/64 (3.13%) cases. Of the 49 DBS samples that arrived at the laboratory, 22 (45%) were collected incorrectly. After quantitative and qualitative assessment of the program, the dry paper sample and passive strategy were ruled out.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> DBS sampling and the passive strategy are not suitable for CD screening in community pharmacies. There is a need to expand the number of participating pharmacies and individuals to determine whether conducting a RDT in community pharmacies is an effective screening method to increase access to CD diagnosis in a non-endemic area.</p>