Chagas’ disease 30 years old control efforts in Venezuela have been seriously affected by the financial burden produced by the economic crisis (house improvement and insecticide use). The purpose of this study was to assess the seroprevalence of the disease in an endemic area where Chagas’ disease control measures have not been regularly conducted. For this study, 437 inhabitants of an endemic rural community were included. Demographic, epidemiologic, serologic, entomologic and household conditions were studied. Three serological tests (complement fixation, indirect hemagglutination, and immunofluorescence antibody tests) were applied to confirm human infection of Trypanosoma cruzi. A total of 31 individuals were found seropositives (7.1 per 100 population), 48.7% of the infected cases (15) were younger than 30 years of age and were born after the control program was launched. Most of the households had metalic roofs and brick walls that are not favorable conditions for vector’s breeding. However, in 0.9% of them vector specimens were captured probably due to the presence of household attachments build with palm tree leaves and wooden sticks. The results of this study show the distribution of infection by demographic and epidemiologic variables, and the persistence of poorly built house attachment conditions that favor the vector’s breeding. It is important to study the house needs and preferences of local rural populations to improve their building materials and achieve the elimination of the vector and be able to control the disease.
Learning Objectives: At the end of the presentation the participant will be able to 1. Describe the basic epidemiology of Chagas’ Disease. 2. Identify major preventive and control measures for Chagas’ Disease. 3. Understand the methodology used to conduct a cross-sectional survey in a rural community. 4. Understand the strengths and limitation of a cross-sectional survey. 5. Recognize the importance to be culturally sensitive to household needs and preferences of local population to conduct house improvement programs to control Chagas’ Disease.
Keywords: International Health,
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