Negative studies are helpful to compute the specificity of diagnostic tests: measuring Trypanosoma cruzi seroprevalence in Guanajuato, Mexico.
BACKGROUND
Publishing negative seroprevalence studies not only helps to have more accurate seroprevalence estimates but also allows calculating the specificity of the diagnostic tests used. We performed a population-based Trypanosoma cruzi seroprevalence survey in a community in central Mexico.


RESULTS
We surveyed 204 women and children and collected blood by finger prick. We performed rapid tests (Stat-Pak, Chembio, Inc., Medford, New York) and recombinant Chagas ELISA tests v3.0 (Wiener, Rosario, Argentina). All rapid tests and all ELISA tests were negative.


CONCLUSIONS
The rapid test had 100 % of specificity compared to the ELISA.
División de Ciencias de la Salud e Ingenierías, Departamento de Enfermería y Obstetricia, Campus Celaya Salvatierra Universidad de Guanajuato, México Mutualismo 303, CP38060, Celaya, Gto, Mexico. padillawarm@gmail.com.
Nicolás
N
Padilla-Raygoza
Coordinacion Académica Región Huasteca Sur, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí 5 km Carr, Tamazunchale-San Martin, C.P. 79960, Tamazunchale, SLP, Mexico. rubi.gamboa@uaslp.mx.
Rubí
R
Gamboa-León
Laboratorio de Parasitologia, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Ave. Itzaes #490 × 59, 97000, Merida, Yucatán, Mexico. rsierra@uady.mx.
Maria Jesus
MJ
Ramirez-Sierra
Laboratorio de Parasitologia, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Ave. Itzaes #490 × 59, 97000, Merida, Yucatán, Mexico. oliver@uady.mx.
Eric
E
Dumonteil
School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, 1440 Canal St., Ste. 2430, 70112, New Orleans, LA, USA. pbuekens@tulane.edu.
Pierre
P
Buekens
Departamento de Enfermería Clínica, División de Ciencias de la Salud e Ingenierías, Campus Celaya Salvatierra, Universidad de Guanajuato, Celaya, Gto, Mexico. lauraruizpaloalto@hotmail.com.
Ma Laura
ML
Ruiz-Paloalto
División de Ciencias de la Salud e Ingenierías, Departamento de Enfermería y Obstetricia, Campus Celaya Salvatierra, Mutualismo 303, CP38060, Celaya, Gto, Mexico. rosalina_dg@hotmail.com.
Rosalina
R
Diaz-Guerrero
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000592:standards*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan