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Biomédica
Print version ISSN 0120-4157
Abstract
MONTES-RINCON, Laura Mayela; GALAVIZ-SILVA, Lucio and MOLINA-GARZA, Zinnia Judith. Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies in Latin American migrants in transit through the México-USA border. Biomédica [online]. 2018, vol.38, n.1, pp.54-60. ISSN 0120-4157. https://doi.org/10.7705/biomedica.v38i0.3526.
Introduction:
In recent years, American trypanosomiasis has become an emergent public health problem in countries receiving migrant populations such as México, USA, Canada or those in Europe.
Objective:
To analyze the prevalence of anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies in Latin American migrants on their way to USA and Canada by means of serological techniques.
Material and methods:
ELISA and IHA were performed to detect anti-T. cruzi antibodies. Also, each participant filled out a socioeconomic questionnaire to determine the associated factors with seropositive cases, which could facilitate the transmission in the migrants’ country of origin.
Results:
Total seroprevalence among the studied population was 20% (24/120). The highest prevalence was found in migrants from Guatemala with 37.5% (6/16), followed by Honduras (22.6%; 12/53), El Salvador (16%; 4/25), and México (8.7%, 3/23). From the total 120 surveyed migrants, 105 (87.5%) recognized the vector of Chagas’ disease, and 62 (59%) assured having been bitten by it. Highly significant statistical associations were found between infection and the construction materials for walls and the presence of pets (dogs) inside houses (p≤0.01), as well as with the building materials for backyards, inadequate basic services, and animal breeding inside corrals built around dwellings (p≤0.05).
Conclusion:
Non-endemic countries receiving migrants from endemic areas should enhance or develop better health policies to prevent transfusion-transmitted Chagas or congenital parasite transmission.
Keywords : Trypanosoma cruzi; Chagas disease; transients and migrants; seroepidemiologic studies; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; hemagglutination.