PREVALENCE OF CHAGAS DISEASE IN A RURAL AREA IN THE STATE OF CEARA, BRAZIL

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo Vol. 57; no. 5; pp. 431 - 433
• Main Authors: Freitas, Erlane Chaves, Oliveira, Maria de Fátima, Andrade, Mônica Coelho, Vasconcelos, Arduina Sofia Ortet de Barros, Silva Filho, José Damião da, Cândido, Darlan da Silva, Pereira, Laíse dos Santos, Correia, João Paulo Ramalho, Cruz, José Napoleão Monte da, Cavalcanti, Luciano Pamplona de Góes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Instituto de Medicina Tropical de Sao Paulo 01.09.2015; Instituto de Medicina Tropical; Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Animals; Antibodies, Protozoan - blood; Brazil - epidemiology; Brief Communication; Chagas disease; Chagas Disease - diagnosis; Chagas Disease - epidemiology; Child; Child, Preschool; Epidemiology; Health survey; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Rural Population - statistics & numerical data; Seroepidemiologic Studies; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Trypanosoma cruzi - immunology; Young Adult; Brazil; Chagas disease; Health survey; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 0036-4665; 1678-9946; 1678-9946; 0036-4665
• DOI: 10.1590/S0036-46652015000500011

Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and affects about two to three million people in Brazil, still figuring as an important public health problem. A study was conducted in a rural area of the municipality of Limoeiro do Norte - CE, northeastern Brazil, aiming to determine the prevalence of T. cruzi infection. Of the inhabitants, 52% were examined, among whom 2.6% (4/154) were seropositive in at least two serological tests. All seropositive individuals were older than 50 years, farmers, with a low education and a family income of less than three minimum wages. Active surveillance may be an alternative for early detection of this disease.