Heterogeneities in the Ecoepidemiology of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in Rural Communities of the Argentinean Chaco

M. VICTORIA CARDINAL; M. MARCELA OROZCO; GUSTAVO F. ENRIQUEZ; LEONARDO A. CEBALLOS; MARÍA SOL GASPE; JULIÁN A. ALVARADO OTEGUI; JUAN M. GUREVITZ; URIEL KITRON; RICARDO E. GÜRTLER

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE

AMER SOC TROP MED & HYGIENE

Lugar: Stanford; Año: 2014 vol. 90 p. 1063 - 1073

0002-9637

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of Trypanosoma cruzi infection of Triatoma infestans as well as dogsand cats in 327 households from a well-defined rural area in northeastern Argentina to test whether the householddistribution of infection differed between local ethnic groups (Tobas and Creoles) and identify risk factors for hostinfection. Overall prevalence of infection of bugs (27.2%; 95% confidence interval = 25.3?29.3%), dogs (26.0%; 95%confidence interval = 23.3?30.1%), and cats examined (28.7%; 95% confidence interval = 20.2?39.0%) was similar. Amultimodel inference approach showed that infection in dogs was associated strongly with the intensity and duration oflocal exposure to infected bugs and moderately with household ethnic background. Overall, Toba households were at asubstantially greater risk of infection than Creole households. The strong heterogeneities in the distribution of bug, dog,and cat infections at household, village, and ethnic group levels may be used for targeted vector and disease control.