Prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania chagasi infection and risk factors in a Colombian indigenous population

This study was carried out in order to obtain base-line data concerning the epidemiology of American Visceral Leishmaniasis and Chagas's Disease in an indigenous population with whom the government is starting a dwelling improvement programme. Information was collected from 242 dwellings (1,440 people), by means of house to house interviews about socio-economic and environmental factors associated with Leishmania chagasi and Trypanosoma cruzi transmission risk. A leishmanin skin test was applied to 385 people and 454 blood samples were collected on filter paper in order to detect L. chagasi antibodies by ELISA and IFAT and T. cruzi antibodies by ELISA. T. cruzi seroprevalence was 8.7 percent by ELISA, L. chagasi was 4.6 percent and 5.1 pecent by IFAT and ELISA, respectively. ELISA sensitivity and specificity for L. chagasi antibodies were 57 percent and 97.5 percent respectively, as compared to the IFAT. Leishmanin skin test positivity was 19 percent. L. chagasi infection prevalence, being defined as a positive result in the three-immunodiagnostic tests, was 17.1 percent. Additionally, 2.7 percent of the population studied was positive to both L. chagasi and T. cruzi, showing a possible cross-reaction. L. chagasi and T. cruzi seropositivity increased with age, while no association with gender was observed. Age (p<0.007), number of inhabitants (p<0.05), floor material (p<0.03) and recognition of vector (p<0.01) were associated with T. cruzi infection, whilst age ( p<0.007) and dwelling improvement (p<0.02) were associated with L. chagasi infection. It is necessary to evaluate the long-term impact of the dwelling improvement programme on these parasitic infections in this community

Efecto de medidas preventivas contra la toxoplasmosis en enbarazadas / Effect of preventive measures against toxoplasmosis in pregnant women

La incidencia de la infección por Toxoplasma gondii, fue estudiada en el laboratorio de Parasitología del Instituto Nacional de Salud en los sueros de 1000 mujeres embarazadas, seleccionadas entre las que asistieron al control prenatal en la Caja de Previsión, durante los años de 1987 a 1990. En lo sueros se medieron anticuerpos específicos IgG contra el Toxoplasma gondii, por la técnica de inmunofluorescencia indirecta. El 59 por ciento de las mujeres fueron positivas con títulos entre 1:16 y 1:4.096, cifras que corresponden a las reveladas en el Estudio Nacional de Salud (ENS). El 41 por ciento de la población fue negativa. De estas negativas no se presentó ninguna seroconversión dando una incidencia de 0 en el grupo estudiado. Las embarazadas fueron instruidas sobre medidas preventivas para evitar la infección durante el embarazo, las cuales mostraron su eficacia, ya que ninguna de las negativas seroconvirtió durante el embarazo. Se recomienda, al lado de la vigilancia serológica, dar educación sobre la prevención de la infección