Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo (Oct 2015)

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

  • 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

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652015000500011
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 57, no. 5
pp. 431 – 433

Abstract

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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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