Abstract: | Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi infection, is a zoonosis
of humans, wild and domestic mammals, including dogs. In Panama, the main T.
cruzi vector is hodnius pallescens, a triatomine bug
whose main natural habitat is the royal palm, Attalea butyracea. In
this paper, we present results from three T. cruzi serological tests
(immunochromatographic dipstick, indirect immunofluorescence and ELISA) performed in
51 dogs from 24 houses in Trinidad de Las Minas, western Panama. We found that nine
dogs were seropositive (17.6% prevalence). Dogs were 1.6 times more likely to become
T. cruzi seropositive with each year of age and 11.6 times if
royal palms where present in the peridomiciliary area of the dog''s household or its
two nearest neighbours. Mouse-baited-adhesive traps were employed to evaluate 12
peridomestic royal palms. All palms were found infested with R.
pallescens with an average of 25.50 triatomines captured per palm. Of 35
adult bugs analysed, 88.6% showed protozoa flagellates in their intestinal contents.
In addition, dogs were five times more likely to be infected by the presence of an
additional domestic animal species in the dog''s peridomiciliary environment. Our
results suggest that interventions focused on royal palms might reduce the exposure
to T. cruzi infection. |