title: Prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection among Bolivian immigrants in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.
abstract: With the urbanisation of the population in developing countries and the process of globalisation, Chagas has become an emerging disease in the urban areas of endemic and non-endemic countries. In 2006, it was estimated that the prevalence of Chagas disease among the general Bolivian population was 6.8%. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection among Bolivian immigrants living in São Paulo, Brazil. This study had a sample of 633 volunteers who were randomly selected from the clientele of primary care units located in the central districts of São Paulo, Brazil. Infection was detected by two different ELISA assays with epimastigote antigens, followed by an immunoblot with trypomastigote antigens as a confirmatory test. The prevalence of the infection was 4.4%. Risk factors independently associated with the infection were: a history of rural jobs in Bolivia, knowledge of the vector involved in transmission, and having relatives with Chagas disease. Brazil has successfully eliminated household vector transmission of T. cruzi, as well as its transmission by blood transfusion. The arrival of infected immigrants represents an additional challenge to primary care clinics to manage chronic Chagas disease, its vertical transmission, and the blood derivatives and organ transplant programs.
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Expedito Ja
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.affiliation: Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Celia R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Furucho
authors.affiliation: Secretaria Estadual de Saúde de São Paulo, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Rubens A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Secretaria Estadual de Saúde de São Paulo, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Dalva M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wanderley
authors.affiliation: Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Noemia B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, Centro de Saúde Escola Prof Alexandre Vranjac, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Camila G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Satolo
authors.affiliation: Secretaria Estadual de Saúde de São Paulo, Centro de Vigilância Epidemiológica, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ruth M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Medicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, Departamento de Medicina Social, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Cassio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.affiliation: Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Lia Mb
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Fernando M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Aith
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Medicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, Departamento de Medicina Social, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Nivaldo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shikanai-Yasuda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D001838:Bolivia / Q000208:ethnology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth