Seroepidemiological and clinical study of Chagas' disease in Nicaragua Estudio seroepidemiológico y clínico de la enfermedad de Chagas en Nicaragua

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Main Authors: Teresa Rivera B, Rosario Palma-Guzman, William Morales G
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 1995
• Subjects: Chagas' disease; Chagasic cardiomyopathy; Seroepidemiology; Nicaragua; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46651995000300005; https://doaj.org/article/ddfb178bffa8405f8e8bddaa34e0a0e5

With the aim of determining the prevalence, immunological profile, and knowing the electrocardiographic alterations, a clinical and Seroepidemiological study of Chagas' disease was performed in three rural settlements located at the North, East and West of Nicaragua. Anti T. cruzi antibodies were searched by indirect immunofluorescence (IFI) and hemagglutination (IHA) in a total of 803 subjects. Seropositives and the same number of seronegatives, matched by age and sex, were included in a case-control design for the electrocardiographic assessment. Antibody prevalence was 13.1, 4.3 and 3.2% in the respective settlements. In the first two the immunological profile corresponds to that of an endemic zone of long standing, were transmission has decreased, and in the third the pattern is of a zone under control. Electrocardiographic changes compatible with Chagas' disease were found in seropositive individuals, but difference with control group was not statistically significant. It is concluded that the disease is endemic in the three settlements and the clinical aspect requires further evaluation, including additional cardiologic techniques. Con el objetivo de determinar la prevalencia, perfil inmunológico de la población y conocer las alteraciones electrocardiográficas; se realizó un estudio seroepidemiológico y clínico de la enfermedad de Chagas en tres localidades ubicadas al Norte, Oriente y Occidente de Nicaragua. Como muestra se tomó suero a 803 personas, a las que se les realizó busqueda de anticuerpos anti T. cruzi por Inmunofluorescencia (IFI) y Hemaglutinación Indirecta (HAI). Al total de los pacientes de dos de éstas localidades que resultaron con serología positiva, se les evaluó por electrocardiografía, estableciendo un grupo control con seronegativos con las mismas características de edad y sexo. La prevalencia de anticuerpos fué de 13.1, 4.3, y 3.2% en las tres localidades respectivamente. En las dos primeras el perfil inmunológico corresponde al de una zona endémica de vieja data, donde la ...