Positive serology for Chagas' disease among women from nonendemic urban areas

ABSTRACT

Important transformations in the profile of health and disease of the Brazilian population have been broughtby migrations from the rural to the urban area. In relation to American trypanosomiasis this migration has increased the risk of the urbanization of the disease, meaning that in addition to the classical epidemiologic link "vector-to-man", the "man-to-man" transfusional or transplacental transmission becomes important. Three hundred women, in reproductive age (mean of 29 years), all migrants from Brazilian rural area and presently settled in the urban area of Sao Paulo, were studied. These people were from low socio-economical level, since in 70 per cent of the cases the per capita income was less than one minimum wage. Serodiagnosis for Chagas' disease was done by indirect hemagglutination and immunofluorescense tests. Sixteen women (5.3 per cent) were positive for one or both tests. Seropositive and seronegative groups were compared taking into account socio-economical data, gestational antecedents (parity, miscarriages, perinatal mortality and low birth weight) and familiarity with Chagas' disease and its vector. No significant differences were found between these two groups. The consequences of the seropositiveness found in this group of women in reproductive age, presently living in urban nonendemic areas are discussed, giving emphasis to the risk of spreading the disease by transmission "man-to-man".