Study on Chagas disease occurrence in the municipality of Monte Negro, State of Rondônia, Brazilian Amazon.
BACKGROUND
Studies on Chagas disease deal with the perspective of its occurrence in the Amazon region, which is directly correlated to the population growth and the spread of the bug biotope. The state of Rondônia has an immense source of vectors (Triatomine) and reservoirs of Trypanosoma cruzi. Environmental changes brought forth by the deforestation in the region may cause vector behavior changes and bring these vectors to a closer contact with humans, increasing the probability of vector infection.


METHODS
This study was carried out to check the occurrence of Chagas disease in the municipality of Monte Negro, Rondônia, Brazil, based on a random sampling of the farms and people wherein blood collection from the population and capturing triatomines were done. The blood samples were submitted to serologic tests to detect antibodies of the IgG class against T. cruzi. The triatomines that were collected had their digestive tract checked for the presence of trypanosomatidae with morphology resembling that of the T. cruzi.


RESULTS
The population examined was mostly from other states. From the 322 bugs examined on the microscope, 50% showed parasites with morphology compatible with T. cruzi. From the serology of 344 random samples of human blood, 1.2% was found positive, 6% showed inconclusive results, and 92.8% were negative.


CONCLUSIONS
Monte Negro shows low prevalence of human infection by T. cruzi and none active vector transmission; however, preventive and surveying measures, which are not performed until now, shall be taken due to the abundance of vectors infected by trypanosomatidae.
Departamento de Biologia, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brasil.
Elaine Oliveira Costa de
EO
Carvalho
João Aristeu da
JA
Rosa
Anderson Antonio
AA
de Carvalho
Hialli Cristine Oliveira
HC
Chaves
Everton Almeida de
EA
Souza
Alejandro Luquetti
AL
Ostermayer
Luís Marcelo Aranha de
LM
Camargo
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014225:Triatominae / Q000469:parasitology*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan