Seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in Schoolchildren and in Pregnant Women from an Amazonian Region in Orellana Province, Ecuador.
Chagas disease is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and about 230,000 persons are estimated to be infected in Ecuador. However, limited studies have been performed in the Amazon region, on the eastern side of the country. We evaluated here the seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in 12 rural villages of the Loreto canton, Orellana Province in schoolchildren aged 5-15 years and in pregnant women. A total of 1,649 blood samples were tested for Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect hemaglutination, and discordant samples were tested by indirect immunofluorescence assay. We detected a seroprevalence of anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies of 1.3% in schoolchildren aged 5-15 years, indicating the persistence of a constant and active vectorial transmission in the Loreto County and confirming the need of the implementation of nonconventional vector control. We also observed a seroprevalence of 3.8% in pregnant women, indicating a clear risk of congenital transmission. Further studies should help define this risk more precisely and implement current international guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and care of these cases.
Subproceso de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Guayaquil, Ecuador; Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi," Universidad Autonoma de Yucatán, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico; Ministry of Public Health, Orellana, Ecuador; Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Caty
C
Carrera Vargas
Subproceso de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Guayaquil, Ecuador; Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi," Universidad Autonoma de Yucatán, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico; Ministry of Public Health, Orellana, Ecuador; Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Alberto Orlando
AO
Narváez
Subproceso de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Guayaquil, Ecuador; Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi," Universidad Autonoma de Yucatán, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico; Ministry of Public Health, Orellana, Ecuador; Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Jenny
J
Muzzio Aroca
Subproceso de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Guayaquil, Ecuador; Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi," Universidad Autonoma de Yucatán, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico; Ministry of Public Health, Orellana, Ecuador; Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Gonzalo
G
Shiguango
Subproceso de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Guayaquil, Ecuador; Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi," Universidad Autonoma de Yucatán, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico; Ministry of Public Health, Orellana, Ecuador; Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Luiggi Martini
LM
Robles
Subproceso de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Guayaquil, Ecuador; Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi," Universidad Autonoma de Yucatán, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico; Ministry of Public Health, Orellana, Ecuador; Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Claudia
C
Herrera
Subproceso de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Guayaquil, Ecuador; Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi," Universidad Autonoma de Yucatán, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico; Ministry of Public Health, Orellana, Ecuador; Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana edumonte@tulane.edu.
Eric
E
Dumonteil
D000293:Adolescent; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004484:Ecuador / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan