Enfermedad de chagasseroprevalenciaen inmigrantes bolivianos residentes en valencia (españa)

Resum

ABSTRACT: Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) is systemic, parasitic infection caused by the protozoan Trypanosome cruzi. The disease was described in 1909 by the Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas. This zoonosis is transmitted primarily through parasite-laden secretions from hematophagous triatomine insects. It also can be transmitted through blood transfusions, organ donations, from mother to child during pregnancy or at birth, and laboratory accidents in non-endemic regions. Chagas disease is becoming an emerging health problem in non-endemic areas because of growing population movements. In Europe, Spain has the highest number of people with Chagas disease. Bolivian migrants are the Latin American population with the highest prevalence for this disease. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the seroprevalence of Chagas disease in the population of Bolivian migrants living in Valencia (Spain), in order to generate a useful understanding for the future design and implementation of public health initiatives. Design: Observational Epidemiological Study. Participants: 153 Bolivian migrants living in Valencia. Results: Overall seroprevalence was 33,3%. Women in age fertile presented a prevalence of 26.4%, group of women older of 45 years prevalence was of 51.2%. Only 19,6% of positive individuals knew that they were carriers of Chagas disease. Concomitant Diseases: digestive (17,6%), cardiovascular (17,6%), endocrine (7,8%), bone and immune (5,9%), nervous (3,9%), muscle (3,9%), and lymphatic, respiratory, and reproductive (2%). Conclusions: The results have contributed to make visible the current problem of this pathology in our region, showing us that it constitutes a public health problem, to which is necessary to implement strategies of intervention.