First description of Trypanosoma cruzi human infection in Esmeraldas province, Ecuador

Abstract

Chagas disease was described in Ecuador in 1930 in the province of Guayas and thereafter in various provinces. Triatomine were reported in the province of Esmeraldas but no human infection has been described. Here we report the first evidence that the disease does exist in the province of Esmeraldas. In indigenous Awá communities located in the northwest jungle of the Esmeraldas province, 144 individuals were tested using ELISA and PCR for T.cruzi of which 5 (3.47%) were positive. Twenty eight triatomine were collected, 27 were Triatoma dispar and 1 Pastrongylus rufotuberculatus, T.cruzi was detected in 11 (42.3%) of 26 insects.

Seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in Schoolchildren and in Pregnant Women from an Amazonian Region in Orellana Province, Ecuador

“…8 This may have been due to the small sample used for this region in the previous work (N = 135 samples). However, compared with neighboring regions, the seroprevalence we observed is indeed similar to that reported in recent studies, 25 and does not seem to have changed much over the past 15 years. [6][7][8] Together with the lack of significant differences among villages we observed, this suggest a rather constant, homogenous, and persistent Trypanosoma cruzi transmission over this time in the region.…”

Ten years (2004–2014) of Chagas disease surveillance and vector control in Ecuador: successes and challenges

“…Indeed, transmission is also very likely in most of parishes (and provinces) adjacent to those where it was reported, even though neither cases nor infestation have been reported to date. T. cruzi transmission was recently described in the province of Esmeralda in north‐eastern Ecuador and in Pastaza, in the Amazon region . Nonetheless, current data clearly indicate the existence of three major epidemiologic scenario for Chagas disease transmission in Ecuador .…”

Community Epidemiology Approach to Parasitic Infection Screening in a Remote Community in Ecuador

“…The identification of some triatomines, collected by the community, positive for Trypanosoma cruzi, triggered a discussion process at the community level with the aid of the leaders of the FCAE about this "unknown and dangerous disease" for the population, a process that led, after 1 year of discussion, to the collective and shared decision to define the magnitude of the problem through a serological survey (the preliminary results were published previously 3 ). The discussion process progressively included also other conditions (such as anemia, diarrhea, and itching), possibly associated with other parasitic infections.…”

“…The preliminary results of the screening for T. cruzi have been reported previously. 3 The first observation relates to the striking participation of the Awa population, who massively participated in the first parasitic infection survey they were ever offered: 40% of the total Awa population (and 68% of the family units). These results support the benefit of the community epidemiology approach, which entails a deep involvement of the community in the decisional process.…”