title: PREVALENCE OF CHAGAS DISEASE IN A RURAL AREA IN THE STATE OF CEARA, BRAZIL.
abstract: Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and affects about two to three million people in Brazil, still figuring as an important public health problem. A study was conducted in a rural area of the municipality of Limoeiro do Norte - CE, northeastern Brazil, aiming to determine the prevalence of T. cruzi infection. Of the inhabitants, 52% were examined, among whom 2.6% (4/154) were seropositive in at least two serological tests. All seropositive individuals were older than 50 years, farmers, with a low education and a family income of less than three minimum wages. Active surveillance may be an alternative for early detection of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia e Medicina Legal, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Erlane Chaves
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria de Fátima
authors.initials: Mde F
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Mônica Coelho
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Arduina Sofia Ortet de Barros
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.
authors.forename: José Damião da
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Silva Filho
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Darlan da Silva
authors.initials: Dda S
authors.lastname: Cândido
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Laíse dos Santos
authors.initials: Ldos S
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.
authors.forename: João Paulo Ramalho
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Central de Saúde Pública do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.
authors.forename: José Napoleão Monte da
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia e Medicina Legal, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Luciano Pamplona de Góes
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Cavalcanti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan