TITLE:
Intra-Domiciliary Transmission of Chagas’ Disease in Rural Areas of Yucatan Mexico
AUTHORS:
Eugenia Guzman-Marin, Karla Y. Acosta-Viana, Marylin Puerto-Solís, Antonio Ortega-Pacheco, Matilde Jimenez-Coello
KEYWORDS:
Trypanosoma cruzi, Vectors, Serology, PCR, Zoonosis.
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Epidemiology,
Vol.6 No.4,
November
24,
2016
ABSTRACT: With the objective to describe the
relationship between T. cruzi infection in humans and sinantropic reservoir and
vectors in the rural conditions a study was performed in municipalities of the
Yucatan state in Mexico. Blood samples from humans, dogs and opossum were taken
from the households. Vectors were also collected and the infection and
infestation indexes were calculated. Serum samples were evaluated by indirect
hemagglutination (IH) and indirect immunofluorescence (IFI) to determine IgG
antibodies against Trypanosoma cruzi. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was
also performed in the samples taken from humans and reservoirs. Blood smears
were performed in reservoirs. Sampled humans underwent to an
electrocardiographic study to identify functional and conduction alterations of
the heart. Household building characteristics were noted. A total of 367 blood
samples were collected from people. The presence of IgG antibodies was 16.6%
and 71.0% at PCR. Electrocardiographic studies revealed that 31% of patients
seropositive to T. cruzi have a medical condition. 20.0% of dogs were
seropositive and 68.5 positive to PCR. At the direct detection 13.6% resulted
positive. In opossum 29.1% were seropositive and 72.9% positive to PCR. A total
of 269 triatomineos were captured and 52.7% were infected with T. cruzi. The
infection and infestation index were 52.4% and 60.8% respectively. The presence
of adult vectors and their nymph’s were more frequently found in households
made with wattle roofs (45.2 and 73.9 % respectively) than other kind of
building materials. Electrocardiographic abnormalities found in positive
persons were: Incomplete right bundle branch block (55%), tachycardia (35%),
old myocardial infarction (5%) and incomplete block of the left bundle (5%). This
work highlights the importance of comprehensive studies on the transmission of
T. cruzi in the Yucatan where the link between human infection in synanthropic
reservoirs and vectors is established. This information is important to design
programs for the epidemiological surveillance and control to break the chain of
transmission of the disease.