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An Outbreak of Chagas' Disease in Southwestern Bahia, Brazil

James H. Maguire^*,**,, Rodney Hoff^**, Adrian C. Sleigh^**, Kenneth E. Mott^**, Nilson B. Ramos AND Italo A. Sherlock

^* Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
^** Department of Tropical Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Department of Cardiology, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, CPqGM, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

An outbreak of 20 cases of acute Chagas' disease followed the movement of Triatoma infestans into the county of Riacho de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. The outbreak was unusual in that the majority of cases occurred in adults. Vector control measures were implemented. Three years after the outbreak, a rural community was examined to determine the extent of human infection and disease due to Trypanosoma cruzi. Ninety of 440 residents (20.5%) had serologic evidence of infection, but rates of electrocardiographic (EKG) abnormalities were low. Comparison of age-specific rates of seropositivity and EKG abnormalities with rates from areas with endemic Chagas' disease supported the hypothesis of a recent epidemic. Control measures appear to have interrupted transmission in the region.

Accepted for publication April 26, 1986.