Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of Chagas disease in an endemic area of Sergipe State, Brazil

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Ivani Rodrigues Glass, Allan Dantas dos Santos, Ana Elisabeth Leal Varjão, Isabela Soares Costa, Dalmo Correia, Ângela Maria Silva
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT)
• Subjects: Trypanosoma cruzi; Seroprevalence; Epidemiological variables; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0067-2018; https://doaj.org/article/cd723ef5207849269ffbcfd5c1a6146b

Abstract INTRODUCTION: We evaluated clinical and epidemiological characteristics of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Sergipe. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we collected serum samples to identify serological markers of Chagas disease. A questionnaire was used, and electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, chest radiography, and contrast radiography of esophagus and colon were performed. RESULTS: T. cruzi infection seroprevalence was 12.1%, mean age of subjects was 55 years, 90% had an elementary school education, 78.6% were agriculture workers, and 60.5% had electrocardiographic abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of T. cruzi infection was observed in mostly elderly individuals.