title: Association of Trypanosoma cruzi infection with risk factors and electrocardiographic abnormalities in northeast Mexico.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  American trypanosomiasis is a major disease and public health issue, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The prevalence of T. cruzi has not been fully documented, and there are few reports of this issue in Nuevo Leon. The aim of this study was to update the seroprevalence rate of T. cruzi infection, including an epidemiological analysis of the risk factors associated with this infection and an electrocardiographic (ECG) evaluation of those infected.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera from 2,688 individuals from 10 municipalities in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, were evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an indirect hemagglutination assay. An ECG case-control study was performed in subjects seropositive for T. cruzi and the results were matched by sex and age to seronegative residents of the same localities. A univariate analysis with χ2 and Fisher's exact tests was used to determine the association between seropositivity and age (years), sex, and ECG changes. A multivariate analysis was then performed to calculate the odd ratios between T. cruzi seropositivity and the risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The seropositive rate was 1.93% (52/2,688). In the ECG study, 22.85% (8/35) of the infected individuals exhibited ECG abnormalities. Triatoma gerstaeckeri was the only vector reported. The main risk factors were ceiling construction material (P ≤ 0.0024), domestic animals (P ≤ 0.0001), and living in rural municipalities (P ≤ 0.0025).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings demonstrate a 10-fold higher prevalence of Chagas disease than previously reported (0.2%), which implies a serious public health threat in northeastern Mexico. The epidemiological profile established in this study differs from that found in the rest of Mexico, where human populations live in close proximity to domiciliary triatomines.
authors.forename: Zinnia Judith
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Molina-Garza
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rosales-Encina
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mercado-Hernández
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Molina-Garza
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gomez-Flores
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Ave, Universidad SN, Cd, Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León 66451, México. lucio.galavizsl@uanl.edu.mx.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Galaviz-Silva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D006388:Hemagglutinins