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Seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in three rural communities in Guatemala

1999; Pan American Health Organization; Volume: 6; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1590/s1020-49891999000700005

1680-5348

George J. Greer, Nancy A. Nix, Celia Cordón‐Rosales, Brisa Urquieta de Hernandez, Charles MacVean, Malcolm R. Powell,

Mosquito-borne diseases and control

A systematic, house-based serological survey for Trypanosoma cruzi seroreactivity was conducted in three contiguous communities in Olopa municipality, Chiquimula Department, Guatemala. Blood samples from a total of 292 individuals in 63 households were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The seropositive rate ranged from 0% to 20.8% for the three communities, with a mean of 15.1%. Log-linear models showed that seroprevalence was significantly related to age (P < 0.005) but not to sex. However, when the age group with the lowest prevalence (1-9 years) was excluded from the analysis, age was not a significant factor (P = 0.55). Data from a stratified sample collected at the same time were combined with those of the systematic sample to analyze the relationship between seropositivity and possible explanatory variables. Log-linear models, based on 586 individuals in 129 households from the two surveys, revealed a significant positive association between seropositivity and thatched roofs (P = 0.01).