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.