Sorologia para doença de Chagas na população das zonas urbana e rural do município de Limoeiro do Norte – CE: análise de uma região endêmica

Abstract

In Ceará, one of the places with the highest prevalence of Chagas disease is the municipality of Limoeiro do Norte. This region presents a great risk of vector transmission of the disease, in view of the high infection rate in triatomines and seropositive inhabitants. This reinforces the need to intensify the search for anti-T.cruzi antibodies. Therefore, the present study aimed to verify the seroprevalence of Chagas disease, to analyze sociodemographic, epidemiological and residential aspects in the population in order to investigate the associations with the positivity found. For that, indirect immunofluorescence (IFR) and chemiluminescence tests were used. A questionnaire was applied to evaluate the issues mentioned above and the Excel 2010 program was used to plot the information in tables, calculate the prevalences and perform a statistical test (chi-square). A total of 275 study participants were received, and of these, 19 presented positive serology for anti-T.cruzi antibodies. The seroprevalence found in the samples in Limoeiro do Norte was 6.9%. Regarding the sociodemographic profile, the majority of the individuals are natural of the municipality, female, in the age range varying from 2 to 87 years. Only a 10-year-old child was reactant to T.cruzi, with probable vector transmission. The rate of seropositive individuals> 40 years of age was 3.75 times higher than those aged <40 years, indicating that transmission may have occurred in the past decades. Two people with a reactive result reported receiving a blood transfusion. Reactivity was also verified for T. cruzi in four people who had already donated blood at some time in their lives. Two reporter individuals have claimed that they have lived in the mud house. Only one positive participant has the mother with DC, evidencing a possible vertical transmission. Significant association with Chagas' disease positivity was found in the following variables: occupation of painter and housewife; think you have DC; have already received blood transfusion; and whether he has lived or lives in a mud house. All subjects were instructed to receive medical follow-up to initiate treatment.