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Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 71(5), 2004, pp. 590-593
Copyright © 2004 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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CHAGAS DISEASE IN RURAL AREAS OF CHACO PROVINCE, ARGENTINA: EPIDEMIOLOGIC SURVEY IN HUMANS, RESERVOIRS, AND VECTORS

PATRICIO DIOSQUE, ANGEL MARCELO PADILLA, RUBÉN OSCAR CIMINO, RUBÉN MARINO CARDOZO, OLGA SANCHEZ NEGRETTE, JORGE DIEGO MARCO, ROSA ZACCA, CARLOS MEZA, ALIGIO JUAREZ, HUGO ROJO, RICARDO REY, ROSA MILAGROS CORRALES, JULIO RUBÉN NASSER, AND MIGUEL ANGEL BASOMBRÍO
Instituto de Patología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Hospital Enrique V. de Llamas, Charata, Chaco, Argentina; Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina

We studied the seroprevalence of antibodies against Trypanosoma cruzi in the human population along with domiciliary infestation by triatomine bugs in an area endemic for Chagas disease in the Chaco Province of Argentina. In addition, we carried out parasitologic surveys in patients, dogs, wild mammals, and vectors. The mean seroprevalence in humans was 27.81% (109 of 392) and 24.14% (63 of 261) in 1–15-year-old children. The minimum domiciliary infestation rate was 13.33%, with certain areas reaching 53.85%. The prevalence was 15.09% (16 of 106) in dogs and 35.71% (10 of 28) in opossums. Infection with T. cruzi was detected in 30.10% (59 of 196) of the Triatoma infestans tested. Compared with nationwide studies, our data suggest that 1) there are zones requiring immediate sanitary action, and 2) nationwide estimates are based on very heterogeneous epidemiologic situations. This heterogeneity emphasizes the importance of in-depth studies of restricted areas to provide additional information for a better understanding of the present status of Chagas disease in Argentina.

Received March 11, 2004. Accepted for publication June 16, 2004.

Acknowledgments: We thank the communities of Tres Estacas, Pampa Avila, El Picazo, and Los Huaicos; the personnel of the Enrique V. de Llamas Hospital; Jorge A. Nasir (Dirección Nacional de Chagas); the personnel of the Instituto de Patología Experimental; and Dr. María E. Bar for their enthusiastic participation at different stages of this study. We also thank the Wiener Laboratory in Rosario, Argentina for providing kits for serologic analysis, Dominique Zelus for providing valuable information regarding the performance characteristics of the serologic tests used in this study, Yoshihisa Hashiguchi for comments, and Christiane Dosne Pasqualini and Kaysia Ludford for assistance with the English version of the manuscript.

Financial support: This investigation was partially supported by Fundación Alberto J. Roemmers, Argentina, and by Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Authors’ addresses: Patricio Diosque, Angel Marcelo Padilla, Rubén Oscar Cimino, Rubén Marino Cardozo, Olga Sanchez Negrette, Jorge Diego Marco, Rosa Zacca, Rosa Milagros Corrales, Julio Rubén Nasser, and Miguel Angel Basombrío, Instituto de Patología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Calle Buenos Aires 177, CP 4400, Salta, Argentina, Telephone/Fax: 54-387-425-5333, E-mail: pdiosque{at}yahoo.com.ar. Carlos Meza, Aligio Juarez, Hugo Rojo, and Ricardo Rey, Hospital Enrique V de Llamas, Mariano Castex 420, CP 3730, Charata, Chaco, Argentina.

Reprint requests: Patricio Diosque, Instituto de Patología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Calle Buenos Aires 177, CP 4400, Salta, Argentina.




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Copyright © 2004 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.