Active Transmission of Human Chagas Disease in Colima Mexico

• Published in: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol. 99; no. 4; pp. 363 - 368
• Main Authors: Rafael Coll-Cárdenas, Francisco Espinoza-Gómez, Arcadio Maldonado-Rodríguez, Pedro A Reyes-López, Miguel Huerta-Viera, Fabián Rojas-Larios
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz 01-06-2004; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde; Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; American trypanosomiasis; Animals; Chagas disease; Chagas disease - American trypanosomiasis - Colima, Mexico; Chagas Disease - diagnosis; Chagas Disease - epidemiology; Chagas Disease - transmission; Child; Child, Preschool; Colima; Female; Humans; Insect Vectors - parasitology; Male; Mexico - epidemiology; Middle Aged; PARASITOLOGY; Prevalence; Reduviidae; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Triatominae; Triatominae - parasitology; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Trypanosoma cruzi; Trypanosoma cruzi - isolation & purification; Mexico; American trypanosomiasis; Chagas disease; Colima
• ISSN: 1678-8060; 0074-0276; 0074-0276; 1678-8060
• DOI: 10.1590/S0074-02762004000400004

Despite efforts to eradicate American trypanosomiasis (AT) and Chagas
disease from the Americas, there are still areas of active transmission
that can eventually become a source of reinfection in previously
controlled regions. Mexico could be one of those areas, where there are
no formal preventive control programs despite the presence of
communities infested by Triatominae bugs infected with Trypanosoma
cruzi . This study explored the prevalence of T. cruzi infection in
405 habitants of 17 communities in the state of Colima, on the Pacific
Mexican coast, through a seroepidemiological probabilistic survey. The
results revealed a point seroprevalence of 2.4% positive for anti-T.
cruzi. In addition, 2 clinical cases of chronic and 2 of acute Chagas
disease were detected in the explored communities. These findings
confirm the risk of active transmission of AT in Western Mexico,
especially in rural and suburban communities infested with
intra-domestic triatominae, where control programs should be
implemented.