title: On the possibility of autochthonous Chagas disease in Roraima, Amazon region, Brazil, 2000-2001.
abstract: Chagas disease has been almost entirely eradicated from the arid zones in Central and Northeastern Brazil where rare or no autochthonous cases have been reported. However, in the last 10 years the disease has increasingly been registered in the Amazon Region. Aiming to investigate the possibility of the occurrence of autochthonous cycle of Chagas disease in Roraima, triatomine collections, vectorial susceptibility studies (this one to be shown elsewhere), parasitological and serological analyses were conducted in three agricultural settlement areas (Rorainópolis, Passarão Project and Ilha Community). Blood-donor candidates were also investigated. This is the first epidemiological survey on Chagas disease conducted in agricultural settlements in Roraima. Triatomine species found were Triatoma maculata, Rhodnius pictipes, Rhodnius robustus and Panstrongylus geniculatus. Trypanosoma cruzi detection analyses included xenodiagnosis, indirect immunofluorescence, indirect hemaglutination, ELISA and kinetoplast PCR amplification. Natural triatomine infection was not found in intestinal contents. Twenty-five adult settlers (1.4% out of 1821, all > 15 year-old, 20 migrants) presented anti-T. cruzi antibodies. Two migrant settlers (from Minas Gerais and Maranhão) tested positive for more than two serological tests, besides either being positive for xenodiagnosis or PCR. Results show that Chagas disease is not endemic in the areas studied. However, all elements of the transmission cycle are present, demanding for an adequate and continuous vigilance.
authors.affiliation: Convênio FIOCRUZ-UFRR, Universidade Federal de Roraima, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, BR 174 s/n Jardim Floresta, 69310-270, Boa Vista, Roraima, RR, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Luitgards-Moura
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Borges-Pereira
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Patrícia Lago
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Zauza
authors.forename: Maria Goreti
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Rosa-Freitas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000145:classification*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology*; D020525:Xenodiagnosis
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan