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

SUMMARY 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 preva...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
Main Authors: Erlane Chaves FREITAS, Maria de Fátima OLIVEIRA, Mônica Coelho ANDRADE, Arduina Sofia Ortet de Barros VASCONCELOS, José Damião da SILVA FILHO, Darlan da Silva CÂNDIDO, Laíse dos Santos PEREIRA, João Paulo Ramalho CORREIA, José Napoleão Monte da CRUZ, Luciano Pamplona de Góes CAVALCANTI
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 2015
Subjects:
Chagas disease
Epidemiology
Health survey
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
RC955-962
Infectious and parasitic diseases
RC109-216
Arctic
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652015000500011
https://doaj.org/article/28805800fbf94f3ea45f464440ee2a6e
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Summary:SUMMARY 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.

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