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IDENTIFYING HEALTH CENTERS IN HONDURAS INFESTED WITH RHODNIUS PROLIXUS USING THE SEROPREVALENCE OF CHAGAS DISEASE IN CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 13 YEARS

The objective of this study is to determine if a Chagas disease protocol starting with a serological survey is as reliable at identifying insect-infested areas as one using the gold standard entomological survey. The study found that health center areas infested with Rhodnius prolixus were identified using a threshold seroprevalence of 0.1%. The serological survey took half the time and was 30% less expensive than the entomological survey. Developing countries with limited resources may find this strategy useful in combating Chagas disease. This strategy also identifies seropositive children, which facilitates their treatment.

Received January 10, 2005. Accepted for publication March 17, 2005.

Acknowledgments: The authors acknowledge the hard work of the local Honduran MSF brigades who gathered the information for the entomological and serological surveys.

^* Address correspondence to Dr. Geoffrey Spurling, MBBS, DTM, and H, FRACGP, Discipline of General Practice, Level 2, Edith Cavell Building, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Herston, Qld 4029, Australia. E-mail: g.spurling{at}uq.edu.au

Authors’ addresses: Geoffrey Spurling, Discipline of General Practice, Level 2, Edith Cavell Building, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Herston, Qld 4029, Australia, Telephone: 3346 4831, Fax: 3365 5130, E-mail: g.spurling{at}uq.edu.au. Romuald Lucas, 3 Chemin de Gorrequer, 29740 Plobannalec, France, E-mail: romualdlucas{at}minitel.net; romuald.lucas{at}laposte.net. Jenny Doust, Discipline of General Practice, Level 2, Edith Cavell Building, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Herston, Qld 4029, Australia, E-mail: j.doust{at}uq.edu.au.

Reprint requests: Geoffrey Spurling, Discipline of General Practice, Level 2, Edith Cavell Building, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Herston, Qld 4029, Australia, Telephone: 3346 4831, Fax: 3365 5130, E-mail: g.spurling{at}uq.edu.au.