The impact of Chagas disease control in Latin America: a review

Abstract

as well as progressive reductions of mortality and morbidity rates in controlled areas. In economic terms, the cost-benefit relationship between intervention (insecticide spraying, serology in blood banks) and the reduction of Chagas disease (in terms of medical and social care and improved productivity) is highly positive. Effective control of Chagas disease is now seen as an attainable goal that depends primarily on maintaining political will, so that the major constraints involve problems associated with the decentralisation of public health services and the progressive political disinterest in

Elimination of Rhodnius prolixus in Central America

“…They showed no apparent capacity for colonising silvatic habitats, but readily colonised rural houses and peridomestic habitats, especially those with roofs of palm or thatch, in some cases reaching very high density populations. But unlike the spread of Triatoma infestans in Central Brazil during the same period, which seems to have displaced previous domestic infestations of Panstrongylus megistus [44,45], there is no evidence that Central American R. prolixus were displacing previous infestations of autochthonous Triatominae, and this may have contributed to their apparent ease of domestic dispersal. They appear to have followed the main routes of human migration along the Pacific side of Central America, presumably carried amongst the belongings of travellers and migrant workers.…”

“…Through support from the ECLAT network and PAHO, much was learned from the experience of other countries, especially in relation to the control of Triatoma infestans in the southern cone countries [e.g. [43-45]], and the IPCA annual meetings and thematic workshops also paved the way for definition of criteria for certification of interruption and elimination of Chagas disease transmission [e.g. [7]].…”

“…Having recognised Chagas disease as of major public health significance, but feasible to control according to the experiences of South American countries [e.g. [44,45]], the seven countries of Central America established the objective of halting vectorial and transfusional transmission of Chagas disease, including elimination of R. prolixus as one of the specific means to achieve this [38]. To initiate the programme, financial aid of 500,000 US dollars was provided by the Government of Taiwan to each Central American country, although much of this was then used for emergency relief following hurricane Mitch in 1998, or for other activities, except in Nicaragua and Honduras.…”

Exploring the sialome of the blood-sucking bug Rhodnius prolixus

“…This bug is also a main vector of Chagas' disease in the northern part of South America and in some areas of Central America (Dias et al, 2002). Rhodnius is also a good laboratory model for both Chagas' disease and basic biological studies because of the ease with which it is reared, comparatively short life cycle, and remarkable biochemical and physiological changes following a blood meal (Wigglesworth, 1972).…”

Non, la maladie de Chagas n’est pas le nouveau sida des Amériques !

“…L'existence de ce test aurait également pour effet de « booster » la recherche de nouvelles molécules plus actives et mieux tolérées. Contrairement à ce qu'on a l'habitude de laisser entendre, celle-ci n'a jamais cessé [1], mais elle n'a pas donné de résultat concret jusqu'à présent et elle n'est guère encouragée par la diminution spectaculaire de l'incidence et de la prévalence de la maladie enregistrées ces 20 dernières années suite à la mise en place des programmes de lutte antivectorielle [10,37].…”