title: Risk factors for Leishmania chagasi infection in an urban area of Minas Gerais State.
abstract: In order to understand the determinants of human infection by Leishmania chagasi in an urban area, a cross-sectional population based study was conducted using molecular and serologic methods to identify infection. Participants were interviewed using a pre-coded questionnaire. Two criteria were tested to identify risk factors: Model 1--including all participants positive in hybridization by Leishmania donovani complex probe; Model 2--including all participants positive for hybridization and at least one serologic test. In Model 1, the variables associated with infection were: ownership of birds, time spent outside house between 6:00-10:00 PM and garbage not collected. In Model 2, the variables associated with infection were: family with knowledge of the vector, garbage not collected, garbage not removed or buried, ownership of birds and eroded areas in the neighborhood. The risk factors identified were associated with household conditions, presence of animals and the likelihood of contact with phlebotomine sandflies.
authors.affiliation: Fundação Nacional de Saúde de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elizabeth Castro
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Maria Norma
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Odair
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Genaro
authors.forename: José Roberto
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lambertucci
authors.forename: José Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Serufo
authors.forename: Antero Silva Ribeiro
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Carlos Mauricio Figueiredo
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.forename: Mariângela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carneiro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005735:Garbage; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018314:Leishmania infantum; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population