Abstract

ANEZ, Néstor et al. Detección de infecciones inaparentes de la enfermedad de Chagas en individuos asintomáticos de la etnia Yukpa del occidente de Venezuela. Bol Mal Salud Amb [online]. 2011, vol.51, n.2, pp.167-176. ISSN 1690-4648.

Inapparent infections by Trypanosoma cruzi were detected, for the first time, in symptomless seropositive healthy individuals from a Yukpa ethnic community in western Venezuela where Chagas disease had not been previously reported. Seropositivity was detected in 24 out of 173 (13.9%) sera samples taken from asymptomatic people by using three serological methods (DAT, IFAT, ELISA). Complementary analyses by IFAT revealed a low level of anti-T. cruzi specific IgM and IgG in all seropositive people when compared with detected levels in acute and chronic chagasic patients included as positive controls. In addition, 100% of the sampled dogs (8) were seropositive showing a level of anti-T. cruzi IgG similar to that detected in humans. Genotyping of a T. cruzi isolate obtained from an infected wild specimen of Rhodnius pictipes, revealed the circulation of lineage1 (DTU1) in the study area. The importance of the detection of asymptomatic T.cruzi-infections in this indigenous community and its potential epidemiological implications are discussed.

Keywords : Chagas disease; Inapparent infection; Yukpa ethnic; Venezuela.